Scientists Mess with the Speed of Light (breaking the speed limit, sort of)

pure energy systems ^ | 19 aug 05 | Ker Than

[FreedomCalls]

Or is it all an illusion?

It's an illusion. The article even says so, even thought the headline implies otherwise.

[Arkie2]

It's not really an illusion. Read the whole article and you'll see there's more to it than just an illusion, like improved telecoms.

[nhoward14]

Big deal! I want my flux capacitor!

[AntiGuv]

photonic ping!

[RS]

"....and even stopping it all together."

Cool, when can they pile it up and package it ? I'll buy a box, open the top and shine the super concentrated beam on photocells in my glove compartment to run my car !

[FreedomCalls]

Here's a great flash presentation that explains it all.

http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/APPLETS/20/20.html

[Arkie2]

They'll sell it in a package deal along with dehydrated water.

[IronJack]

a pulse of light is actually made up of many separate frequency components, each of which moves at their own velocities.

I'm having trouble with this. For one, what if the light is all one frequency, as in a laser? For two, doesn't incoherent light all travel at C? Do different frequencies travel faster and slower? If so, then why don't the frequencies separate during regular transmission?

[SteveMcKing]

Superluminal illusion:

Quickly pass a lazer over something very far away (say, the moon). If you didn't know better, one might calculate that a little red dot is sweeping across the lunar surface faster than light! (Of course the dot is not a real unit, but many photons spread over a large distance...)

[I see my hands]

---

I already posted this tomorrow.

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[Arkie2]

Neat! Good demo.

[PatrickHenry]

Thanks for the ping. I've been aware of this, but I didn't post it because ... well, I didn't think it was much of anything. But now that it's posted, I'm mulling over whether to ping the science list. I'm leaning against it.

[FreedomCalls]

Go to this link.

http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/APPLETS/20/20.html

Then read this.

http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/APPLETS/20/SubluminalNotes.html

It is an illusion. No information travels faster than light. It just looks like it might.

[Arkie2]

I've noticed threads like this get a lot of response at night for some reason so I save them up and post them late. Keeps Freeper insomniacs amused!

[HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath]

When man is restored to God's image and likeness, he will be able to move at the speed of infinity, since he will have access to dimensions that transcend time and space.

[Prime Choice]

186,000 miles per second.

It's not just a good idea. It's the law.

[burzum]

For those interested, this was predicted by quantum electrodynamics, one of the most impressive theories in all of science. I would recommend anyone read Feynman's book QED if you want to know more information.

[fat city]

Bet they get worse gas mileage, though.

[TitansAFC]

---"Thanks for the ping. I've been aware of this, but I didn't post it because ... well, I didn't think it was much of anything. But now that it's posted, I'm mulling over whether to ping the science list. I'm leaning against it."---

It's really just smoke and mirrors, so to speak. Freepers were quick to post adequate links saying so, though the article itself pretty much lets us know.

When someone actually gets something to travel faster than light (impossible, really), let me know. Until then, it's just gloried parlor tricks.

Fun and neat, though.