CERN: ‘Speed of Light Exceeded’ (Maybe)

Sunlight (composed of photons) takes about 8 minutes, 19 seconds to reach Earth - Could a neutrino reach Earth faster?

The news from CERN physicists that the speed of light “may have been exceeded” sent a lightning bolt of excitement and disbelief (not quite surpassing the speed of light) throughout the world’s physics community.  Fully accepting that their results would be met with great skepticism, the same physicists are inviting other particle physicists and labs to verify — or disprove — their results, which, if validated, will overturn one of the principle tenets of modern physics: that nothing travels faster than the speed of light (notated as ‘c‘ in physical equations).

Based in Switzerland, CERN physicists were experimenting with neutrinos (a mysterious class of virtually massless particles) by shooting them to an underground detector located over 450 miles (730 km) away in Italy. According to the detector results, the quantum particle reached its destination 60 nanoseconds faster than would a particle of light — that’s 60 billionths of a second — with a margin of error of just 10 nanoseconds. That tiny amount of difference in timing is a huge deal.

According to Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity (from 1906), the speed at which light travels (whether as a wave form, or as a particle, known as a photon) is constant; no signal or flow of energy can surpass this cosmically limiting speed, which is rounded off to 186, 282 miles per second (decimal places excluded from that figure).

Some theoretical physicists (Feinberg, Sundarshan, etc.) had previously postulated a faster-than-light-speed particle — termed a tachyon — to explain bizarre phenomena such as bosonic ‘string’ theory and quantum entanglement (in which two coupled particles, widely separated, appear to “communicate” instantaneously). But modern quantum theory views such “particles” as representing or indicating an instability in the system (i.e., the tachyon field) and not “real” particles, thus incapable of faster than light transmission.

In the diagram, the interval AB is 'time-like'; i.e., there is a frame of reference in which events A and B occur at the same location in space, separated only by occurring at different times. If A precedes B in that frame, then A precedes B in all frames. It is hypothetically possible for matter (or information) to travel from A to B, so there can be a causal relationship (with A the cause and B the effect). The interval AC in the diagram is 'space-like'; i.e., there is a frame of reference in which events A and C occur simultaneously, separated only in space. However there are also frames in which A precedes C (as shown) and frames in which C precedes A. If it were possible for a cause-and-effect relationship to exist between events A and C, then paradoxes of causality would result.

No, the limiting nature of the speed of light (and its mediating particle) seems necessary for any cosmic, causal sense-making.

For physicist, the finite/constant speed of light (in a vacuum) is necessary to preserve “causality” in the normal sense of the word, wherein a ’cause’ precedes an ‘effect’. But, there is a theoretical paradox in which an effect precedes its cause (see the light cone diagram, left), and  in which “faster than light signals” can be sent back into one’s own past, creating a causal paradox (if, and only if, no previous signal was received).

There is also the odd phenomena in which the spot where the beam of a search light hits the bottom of a cloud can move faster than light when the search light is moved quickly (note: this effect/speed is not achieved in a vacuum).*

However, under controlled laboratory conditions, there has been only one serious, experimental challenge to this physical constant: in 2007, physicists working with Fermilab’s Tevatron collider (located in the U.S.), achieved a similar feat with neutrinos, but the margin of error was quite large, and consequently, the results were dismissed by the physics community (too much “noise” in the detectors’ data).

But CERN’s margin of error is much smaller. Currently, physicist the world over are either analyzing the results (for  errors), or trying to duplicate the results in other particle accelerators (such as the J-PARC neutrino collider system in Japan, which is conducting its own neutrino and antimatter experiment called T2K).

CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) is located outside Geneva, Switxerland, and is the world’s largest particle physics research laboratory and home to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s most powerful particle accelerator (note: the LHC was not used in this experiment).

If verified, these experimental results would be “revolutionary” say scientists. Proving the existence of a faster-than-light-speed particle will not change how the Universe works, of course, but it will change our understanding of some of its fundamental features, the most fundamental of which (apart from the three Laws of Thermodynamics) is the speed of light, the square of which was introduced to the world’s consciousness through Einstein’s famous equation E = mc².

For more information and to see a video from CERN, check out the Huff Post article ‘CERN: Light Speed May Have Been Exceeded By Subatomic Particle’

* [source]: Salmon, Wesley, Four Decades of Scientific Explanation; referenced on  wikipedia.org, ‘speed of light’]

top diagram: (sunlight time to Earth) Brews ohare ; CC – BY – SA 3.0

bottom diagram: (light cone) r Sakurambo

Source: Planetsave (http://s.tt/13k2p)

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MEPs back Estonia's euro ambitions

MEPs back Estonia's euro ambitions , originally uploaded by European Parliament.

Despite the current economic crisis and tensions in the euro, Estonia is set to adopt the single currency in January. A low budget deficit and low inflation have persuaded MEPs on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. and the European Commission that the small Baltic State is ready for euro membership. However, there are still concerns over the jobless rate, which is approaching 20%.


"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν." "We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not." Heraclitus the Riddler

Tied to a fading memory of something lost in time

Tied to a fading memory of something lost in time, originally uploaded by neloqua.

"...and here we are again
the door is closed behind us
and the long road lies ahead
where do we go from here
it's time to make a change
lets trace the problem to its source
no more riding the waves
on a river that's run its course
I stood at the door to a new beginning
two choices before me and I was afraid
tied to a fading memory
of something lost in time
afraid to make the change
scared to leave the past behind
the future called and frightened I turned away
we stand at the door to a new beginning
two choices before us don't be afraid
close your eyes, forget the fear
leave the past behind..."

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν." "We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not." Heraclitus the Riddler

beauty of nature....

beauty of nature...., originally uploaded by Vegaslyra.

New life bursting forth
Refreshed from winter's slumber
Rejoicing in spring.

Haiku - Seasons
by Veronica Ann Cech

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν." "We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not." Heraclitus the Riddler

time............it was

I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life.
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and fuck with the stars.
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars.

This is our decision, to live fast and die young.
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun.
Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do.
Get jobs in offices, and wake up for the morning commute.

Forget about our mothers and our friends
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend

I'll miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms
I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world
I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home
Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone.

There's really nothing, nothing we can do
Love must be forgotten, life can always start up anew.
The models will have children, we'll get a divorce
We'll find some more models, everything must run it's course.

We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end
We were fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah



"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler

100 Greatest Discoveries - Astronomy

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler

vacation mode is ON

vacation mode is ON, originally uploaded by brexians on the way to eclipse...

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler

Street Artist an Athenian Mariachi

Street Artist, originally uploaded by maksid.

Amemonos

Buscaba mi alma con afán tu alma,
Buscaba yo la vírgen que a mi frente
Tocara con sus labios dulcemente
En el febril insomnio de mi amor.

Buscaba yo la mujer pálida y bella,
Que en sueños me visita desde niño,
Para partir con ella mi cariño,
Para partir con ella mi dolor.

Como en la sacra soledad del templo
Sin ver a Dios se siente su presencia
Yo presentí en el mundo tu existencia
Y como a Dios sin verte te adoré.

Amémonos mi bien en este mundo
Donde lágrimas tantas se derraman;
Las que vierten, quizas los que se aman
Tienen un no se qué de bendición.

Amar es empapar el pensamiento
En la fragancia del edén perdido;
Amar, amar es llevar herido
Con un dardo celeste el corazón;
Es tocar los dinteles de la gloria,
Es ver tus ojos, es escuchar tu acento,
Es en el alma llevar el firmamento
Y es morir a tus pies de adoración.

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler

macro - micro and between

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by astrocrazy
"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler

Touchant le ciel

Touchant le ciel, originally uploaded by Malouk!.

Airly Beacon
by Charles Kingsley

Airly Beacon, Airly Beacon;
Oh, the pleasant sight to see
Shires and towns from Airly Beacon,
While my love climbed up to me!

Airly Beacon, Airly Beacon;
Oh, the happy hours we lay
Deep in fern on Airly Beacon,
Courting through the summer's day!

Airly Beacon, Airly Beacon;
Oh, the weary haunt for me,
All alone on Airly Beacon,
With his baby on my knee!

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler

time...

To realize the value of ONE MONTH,

ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK,

ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR,

ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE,

ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND,

ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND,

ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift.

That's why it's called the present!

"Ποταμοῖς τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐμβαίνομέν τε καὶ οὐκ ἐμβαίνομεν, εἶμέν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶμεν."

"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler