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Will time travel be possible?
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Was Einstein wrong with his theory of special relativity?
Was Einstein wrong with his theory of special relativity?
Answers
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No. Einstein was definitely not wrong with Relativity. At worst we will need to add another term to his equation for particular conditions. In the ultimate solution Einstein's equations will be derived under certain conditions in the same way as Newton's equations are derived from Einstein's when some terms become trivial under some conditions.
There are far too many things dependent on and derived from Einstein's equations for it to be actually wrong per se.
Moreover Einstein's equations only deal with the velocities between zero and the speed of light. They are not applied to movement faster than the speed of light because they would then move into realm of complex numbers that require terms involving the square root of minus one.
Nothing in science actually precluds travel faster than the speed of light. It simply states that nothing with a non-zero rest mass can travel at the speed of light. Of course we normally expect something to first reach a speed before exceeding it. However Quantum Mechanics may allow something to be manifested with a speed exceeding the speed of light without first reaching it.
However don't expect this will ever allow ordinary things like human being to ever move faster than light.
At best this experiment has revealed the first interaction between Quantum Mechanics and Relativity, the two monumental centrepieces of our understanding of the Universe. This would be a huge advance.
Quantum Mechanics deals with the very small while Relativity deals with the very large and to date they have not revealed even a meagre relationship to each other. This had frustrated scientists for a century as they search for what is know in the industry as the Grand Unified Theory.
Lastly and most boringly, it could be that the whole thing is down to a very obscure experimental error. They have worked for three years to avoid evertyhing they can find and observers should note they are actually asking for help to find the problem because a finding that anything exceeded light speed is a huge step.
Previous measurements of the speed of Neutrinos over astronomical distances has not revealed any faster than light speeds.
There are far too many things dependent on and derived from Einstein's equations for it to be actually wrong per se.
Moreover Einstein's equations only deal with the velocities between zero and the speed of light. They are not applied to movement faster than the speed of light because they would then move into realm of complex numbers that require terms involving the square root of minus one.
Nothing in science actually precluds travel faster than the speed of light. It simply states that nothing with a non-zero rest mass can travel at the speed of light. Of course we normally expect something to first reach a speed before exceeding it. However Quantum Mechanics may allow something to be manifested with a speed exceeding the speed of light without first reaching it.
However don't expect this will ever allow ordinary things like human being to ever move faster than light.
At best this experiment has revealed the first interaction between Quantum Mechanics and Relativity, the two monumental centrepieces of our understanding of the Universe. This would be a huge advance.
Quantum Mechanics deals with the very small while Relativity deals with the very large and to date they have not revealed even a meagre relationship to each other. This had frustrated scientists for a century as they search for what is know in the industry as the Grand Unified Theory.
Lastly and most boringly, it could be that the whole thing is down to a very obscure experimental error. They have worked for three years to avoid evertyhing they can find and observers should note they are actually asking for help to find the problem because a finding that anything exceeded light speed is a huge step.
Previous measurements of the speed of Neutrinos over astronomical distances has not revealed any faster than light speeds.
Obviously, I'm constrained by the possibility of creating a paradoxical anomaly within the local space-time continuum, so all I can really say is that you'll notice that when last Saturday finally arrives, you'll be none the wiser!
I don't think it's giving too much away if I make a few oblique references, such as -
"Who knew? The Daily Mail! Well, they had a good run..." or
"He got a knighthood? Well that showed the 'Britain's Got Talent' judges..." or even
"CERN issues press statement - 'Nyah nyah, ROFL!'"
By the way - told you so...
I don't think it's giving too much away if I make a few oblique references, such as -
"Who knew? The Daily Mail! Well, they had a good run..." or
"He got a knighthood? Well that showed the 'Britain's Got Talent' judges..." or even
"CERN issues press statement - 'Nyah nyah, ROFL!'"
By the way - told you so...
1 to 16 of 16
