Attention! Physicists hyperventilating yet again!!


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Posted

The only people hyperventilating are the people running this story.

When Einstien proved Newtonian physics wrong, did we scrap it? No, we just adapted it. Newtonian physics is still spot on on the macro level with object that go at normal speeds. We still use it, but adjust it when speeds near the speed of light are present. If these results hold, then all that means is there are specific cases of general relativity that will have to be adjusted according to some new physics model, just like we adjust Newtonian physics when we consider objects going near the speed of light. So far many concepts of general relativity have been verified experimentally.

I think all this really stems from a misunderstanding of what a theory is. All theories are, necessarily, incomplete. They only can hope to predict things we can measure. The Newtonian model worked well when we couldn't measure or achieve speeds near the speed of light. Now that we can measure things with more precision and range, our model for physics will necessarily go though different iterations as we attempt to define and predict our world.

Posted

It's more basic than that, LittleWyvern. The experiments that say neutrinos travel faster than light are wrong. How many times must we hear the tachyon-lovers cry "Wolf!" before we learn to ignore them?

Posted

It's more basic than that, LittleWyvern. The experiments that say neutrinos travel faster than light are wrong. How many times must we hear the tachyon-lovers cry "Wolf!" before we learn to ignore them?

And then - just like in the story - the real wolf comes!

Posted

It's more basic than that, LittleWyvern. The experiments that say neutrinos travel faster than light are wrong. How many times must we hear the tachyon-lovers cry "Wolf!" before we learn to ignore them?

Well, we'll have to wait and see if the results are independently confirmed to conclude a "wrong" or a "right" answer. :)

Posted

Well, we'll have to wait and see if the results are independently confirmed to conclude a "wrong" or a "right" answer. :)

Actually, we don't have to wait. That's my point.

And then - just like in the story - the real wolf comes!

Except in this case, the "real wolf" never existed.

Posted

Actually, we don't have to wait. That's my point.

Except in this case, the "real wolf" never existed.

well except that neutrinos are some of the hardest particles observe.... I suppose it depends on how much evidence they want before writing whatever in stone.

Posted (edited)

Big whoop. Facebook accelerated gossip to faster-than-light speeds a few years ago.

I'm with this guy:

Posted Image

LM

p.s. - Here's the source paper. Page 10 is cool - this thing measures continental drift.

Edited by Loudmouth_Mormon
Posted

Big whoop. Facebook accelerated gossip to faster-than-light speeds a few years ago.

I'm with this guy:

Posted Image

LM

p.s. - Here's the source paper. Page 10 is cool - this thing measures continental drift.

I am such an eye-dee-ten-tee.

Anyone want to bet me $200 on whether the FTL news is true? I bet "no".

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