We have broken speed of light

Telegraph ^ | 08/16/2007 | Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent

[poiuqwer]

A pair of German physicists claim to have broken the speed of light - an achievement that would undermine our entire understanding of space and time.

According to Einstein's special theory of relativity, it would require an infinite amount of energy to propel an object at more than 186,000 miles per second.

However, Dr Gunter Nimtz and Dr Alfons Stahlhofen, of the University of Koblenz, say they may have breached a key tenet of that theory.

The pair say they have conducted an experiment in which microwave photons - energetic packets of light - travelled "instantaneously" between a pair of prisms that had been moved up to 3ft apart.

Being able to travel faster than the speed of light would lead to a wide variety of bizarre consequences.

For instance, an astronaut moving faster than it would theoretically arrive at a destination before leaving.

The scientists were investigating a phenomenon called quantum tunnelling, which allows sub-atomic particles to break apparently unbreakable laws.

Dr Nimtz told New Scientist magazine: "For the time being, this is the only violation of special relativity that I know of."

[poiuqwer]

The speed of light is a consequence of spacetime geometry. It's similar to the law that says no angle in a triangle may exceed 180 degrees. There's not a policeman out there enforcing the law, and oh, by the way, we've found a sneaky way to have a 181 degree angle in a triangle, but we didn't get caught. Either the experiment is erroneous (e.g. cold fusion), or the experiment is outside the scope of Relativity, which is possible since the experiment seem to be in the scope of quantum physics instead.

[TommyDale]

So the Germans broke it. Now they need to fix it.

[RightWhale]

Yesterday’s thread is actually today’s thread sent through the Time Machine and the many excellent posts yet to be written have already appeared.

[in hoc signo vinces]

The speed of light was broken long ago...by H. Rhodam-Clintoon-Dumbocrat NY...in regard to the time it takes her to open her mouth and a lie to come out.

[Nick Thimmesch]

Please wait five seconds for my message to appear.

[Always Right]

Beam me up Scottie.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Did they transmit useful information faster than light in vacuo?

[Red Badger]

Here we go .......... again..........

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/ns-lst081607.php

More info.

[Tallguy]

Causality problems anyone?

[Ichneumon]

Did they transmit useful information faster than light in vacuo?

No.

[fso301]

Sounds like a variant of the old experiment whereby if an atom emits two photons travelling in opposite directions. inducing a change in direction of one photon seemingly instantaneously causes the same change on the other photon yet their rate of separation is 2x the speed of light.

[TommyDale]

"Beam me up, Scottie!

[Pablo64]

Wow. Try talking your way out of that speeding ticket!

[Hoplite]

rediculous ridiculous

[Hoplite]

Causality problems anyone?

Don't be rediculous.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“I’m so fast I can flip the light switch and get into bed before the room gets dark”

[RightWhale]

You are distorting the time-space manifold. Cease postal inversion while the temporal infundibulum remains intact.

[Vinnie]

Einstein lied
Photons died

[hophead]

Je$$ie Jack$son breaks the speed of light whenever a camera in in the neighborhood.