Scientists demonstrate possibility of travel faster than light speed
Mikey 15 comments
According to the Daily Mail, scientists claim to have contradicted Einstein's theory of relativity by demonstrating the possibility of faster than light speed travel.
According to Einstein, nothing can travel more than the speed of light (299,337 km/second), because it would turn back time. By using a technique called 'Quantum Tunneling', the two German scientists say it is possible. Dr Gunter Nimtz:
"For the time being, this is the only violation of special relativity that I know of."
Jake
Saturday 18th August 2007 | 01:10 PMNonetheless, fantastic that the science is being explored. Not sure why they haven't looked into the delorian idea though.
mthomas
Sunday 19th August 2007 | 09:51 AMNear light speed travel is possible.
This is very close to the formula that we want. We want to know the value of τ when the traveler has made it halfway to the destination, because then the deceleration starts. If the total distance is X, then the total travel time T is given by
(8) X / 2 = (c2 / g) [cosh (0.5 g T / c) 1]
T = (2 c / g) cosh1 (1 + 0.5 g X / c2)
If X = 4.3 light-years, then T = 3.6 years. Dozens of stars could be reached in five to six years. In fact, a traveler could even go the Andromeda galaxy in under 29 years if a constant acceleration could be maintained
Anonymous
Monday 5th May 2008 | 08:04 AMI think that near-light speed should be possible, but perhaps not extra-light speed. If we had enough fuel, then we could send a Voyager 3 probe to Alpha Centauri so that we could find out exactly what's there, and to prove that the concept of say, 80-90% light speed travel is possible. The only problem lies not in the laws of physics, but the amount of fuel needed to send any meaningful mass at such speeds. In space, the speed does not need to be maintained, almost no friction. But, once said probe has reached halfway, the same amount of fuel would be needed to slow it down to normal speeds of 25,000 KM/H, from 16,200,000 KM/H (90% light speed). Otherwise, it would merely blunder through the object that it is trying to monitor, as only a small fraction (10%?) of the light would reach the probe. However, who said that probes have to be big? Why can't they be the size of a baseball, with a fuel tank the size of that of a normal spacecraft. A baseball moving at such high speeds would probably reach...(10,000kg > 10kg) more than light speed. So, it would actually be more efficient, even going at such high speeds. Of course, the item now weighs 22kg, not 10kg, so now we're talking about 12,200,000 KM/H, which is 69% of light speed.
light source
Monday 13th October 2008 | 05:47 PMWhat I don't understand is it's all relative. You can travel away from, say earth at 3/4 the speed of light in one direction and someelse in the other direction and relative to each other you the first ship will be moving faster than light. If this is a universal constant then you can't travel faster than light relative to what?
jabbathejosh
Wednesday 2nd September 2009 | 05:21 AMso ok i hear that it is impossible for humans to travel the speed of light because the speed of light travels using molecule and waves and we (humans) do not have waves?
i dont know correct me if im wrong but its something like that...and also does anyone know how long it was take to travel 20 light years away going as fast as we possibly can at this time?
Henk V
Friday 11th June 2010 | 04:51 PMUm... old article, written by media.
next
Tony Fyler
Saturday 12th June 2010 | 12:24 AMNot for nothing, but my heart sank when I read this was being reported in the Daily Mail. It's the UK's equivalent of Fox News, and it's never shy of inflating the bejeesus out of a story to give it a controversial headline. It's very possible some scientists believe they've got the solution to Einstein's speed limit. Proving it in any practically applicable way might be a bit on the tricky side though...
Henk V
Saturday 12th June 2010 | 08:52 AMUm there is a solution to this. go to any site that has pics of fuel elements held in water pools.
The Daily mail hasn't a single person who has gotten into highschool physics. How can they comment on science issues? Easy, It's a prime opportunity to raise the level of ignorance amongst the mob.
Jake posts a lot of these articles (deliberately) on his site.
Viz, the creationist/ID debate, climate change, organic farming etc... guys, there is no debate.
Makes good press as folk take it to heart.
J.S. Thompson
Sunday 7th November 2010 | 06:20 AMLight does not travel... Light is a chemical reaction process and a bi-product of Universal Respiration...
Many of the problems associated with determining how the universe was created relates to the measurement of light, which is used to measure our distance from other star systems. Current theory regarding the motion of light, supports the speed of light at 186,000 mps. This is highly theoretical! I would like to propose to you that light doesnt move at all like contemporary science tells us. Light as opposed to particles (photons) moving through space, is a chain reaction associated with the motion of electrons and moves at the speed of frequency, which is almost instantaneous! Light is a chemical reaction which would occur at a slightly slower speed but nevertheless, almost instantaneous. In other words, the light which is used to measure whether a star is moving away from a center, is inaccurate as we are seeing this light in almost real time!
J.S. Thompson
To read article in its entirety, visit http://tinyurl.com/29uuqrp
maeT
Friday 29th July 2011 | 06:28 PMI personally don't believe in time travel since it's pretty obvious that it is impossible for a man to do such thing and what Einstein said was just a theory which means it not proven to be true yet. Even a study performed by some Chinese physicists reveals that traveling in time is physically extremely hard in real life, so better just get accustomed to the present. Not even installments loans can help create time travel.
Hunter S Thompson
Saturday 30th July 2011 | 09:15 AMJ.S.. that was fucked. Want me to send some anti bullshit meds in your christmas parcel?
Man either that or...become an actor
Muddie
Monday 1st August 2011 | 11:32 PMsad but true, expansion apparent is FTL.
I suppose its easier to explain to Jake in person than it is to explain to Hey Dumbo to leave the magic feather alone.
andrew
Friday 17th August 2007 | 07:38 PMCher had a song out a few years back called "if i could turn back time" at least these scientists have a theme song!!!!!!