Tweet
"FASTER THAN LIGHT" PARTICLES MAY BE PHYSICS REVOLUTION
AZG DAILY #169, 24-09-2011
Leading scientists said on Friday the discovery of sub-atomic
particles apparently travelling faster than light could force a major
rethink of theories on the makeup of the cosmos if independently
confirmed.
Jeff Forshaw, a professor of particle physics at Britain's Manchester
University, told Reuters the results if confirmed would mean it would
be possible in theory to "send information into the past." "In other
words, time travel into the past would become possible...(though) that
does not mean we'll be building time-machines anytime soon."
The CERN research institute near Geneva said measurements over three
years had shown neutrinos pumped to a receiver in Gran Sasso, Italy,
had arrived an average of 60 nanoseconds sooner than light would have
done -- a tiny difference that could nonetheless undermine Albert
Einstein's 1905 special theory of relativity
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and this is an
extraordinary claim," eminent cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin
Rees told Reuters.
"It is premature to comment on this," Professor Stephen Hawking, the
world's most well-known physicist, told Reuters. "Further experiments
and clarifications are needed."
Professor Jenny Thomas, who works on neutrinos at CERN's friendly
rival Fermilab near Chicago in the United States, commented: "The
impact of this measurement, were it to be correct, would be huge."
CERN's own research director Sergio Bertolucci said if the findings
were confirmed -- and at least two separate laboratories are likely to
start work on this in the near future -- "it might change our view of
physics."
AZG DAILY #169, 24-09-2011
Leading scientists said on Friday the discovery of sub-atomic
particles apparently travelling faster than light could force a major
rethink of theories on the makeup of the cosmos if independently
confirmed.
Jeff Forshaw, a professor of particle physics at Britain's Manchester
University, told Reuters the results if confirmed would mean it would
be possible in theory to "send information into the past." "In other
words, time travel into the past would become possible...(though) that
does not mean we'll be building time-machines anytime soon."
The CERN research institute near Geneva said measurements over three
years had shown neutrinos pumped to a receiver in Gran Sasso, Italy,
had arrived an average of 60 nanoseconds sooner than light would have
done -- a tiny difference that could nonetheless undermine Albert
Einstein's 1905 special theory of relativity
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and this is an
extraordinary claim," eminent cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin
Rees told Reuters.
"It is premature to comment on this," Professor Stephen Hawking, the
world's most well-known physicist, told Reuters. "Further experiments
and clarifications are needed."
Professor Jenny Thomas, who works on neutrinos at CERN's friendly
rival Fermilab near Chicago in the United States, commented: "The
impact of this measurement, were it to be correct, would be huge."
CERN's own research director Sergio Bertolucci said if the findings
were confirmed -- and at least two separate laboratories are likely to
start work on this in the near future -- "it might change our view of
physics."