We have broken the speed of light

**Bernard_Monsha** · August 16th, 2007, 02:19 PM

We may now conquer the galaxy in the name of Wal-mart!

Quote:

'We have broken speed of light'
By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 16/08/2007

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."

Soluzar · August 16th, 2007, 02:30 PM

This sure does sound impressive, but I'll wait for a little while before I start booking my next vacation on Centauri Prime. I've see enough cases in the media of falsified research that I'm a little wary of anything that seems too incredible to be true.

Sendo Takeshi · August 16th, 2007, 02:36 PM

Cool. Now we can run really, really, fast.

Caine · August 16th, 2007, 02:58 PM

As has been pointed out elsewhere
1) we've known about tunneliing for a while
2) This isn't actually moving past light speed, its shortening the distance that must be moved
3) this hasn't been peer reviewd but ahs been released to the media? nothing suspicious there.
4) I'll be impressed when we've gone to plaid

**Bernard_Monsha** · August 16th, 2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soluzar

This sure does sound impressive, but I'll wait for a little while before I start booking my next vacation on Centauri Prime.

Don't play cards with a Centauri it is unsanitary.

Evil_Koala · August 16th, 2007, 03:09 PM

Damn Germans beat us to it...Whatever it is...

This is all good and nice but how does it affect ME?

Grizzbob · August 16th, 2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caine

As has been pointed out elsewhere
1) we've known about tunneliing for a while
2) This isn't actually moving past light speed, its shortening the distance that must be moved
3) this hasn't been peer reviewd but ahs been released to the media? nothing suspicious there.
4) I'll be impressed when we've gone to plaid

"Colonel Sanders, take us to LUDICROUS SPEED!!"
"No, not Ludicrous Speed!!!"

trancemaster261 · August 16th, 2007, 03:22 PM

this could get interesting. i read that if anything got up to the speed of light, it would explode due to the massive amount of energy it would need.are these scientists still alive?

earsofdoom · August 16th, 2007, 03:23 PM

Go to warp four on my signal.

Hara! · August 16th, 2007, 03:30 PM

In before the LHC kills us all.

master terrence · August 16th, 2007, 03:35 PM

I think they just improved the microwave in all honesty :/

I'm not impressed until one of those photons travel 186,000 miles in a second.

Nano · August 16th, 2007, 03:44 PM

Those Germans are just rar too fast, too furious, too fast, too furious, too fast, too fast for ya'll.

CrossboneGundam · August 16th, 2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by master terrence

I think they just improved the microwave in all honesty :/

I'm not impressed until one of those photons travel 186,000 miles in a second.

I think you just missed your short bus.

Photons are units of light. They ALL travel 186,000 miles per second, guy. That's why it's called the speed of light.

Hara! · August 16th, 2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caine

As has been pointed out elsewhere
1) we've known about tunneliing for a while
2) This isn't actually moving past light speed, its shortening the distance that must be moved
3) this hasn't been peer reviewd but ahs been released to the media? nothing suspicious there.
4) I'll be impressed when we've gone to plaid

Quote:

Originally Posted by master terrence

I think they just improved the microwave in all honesty :/

I'm not impressed until one of those photons travel 186,000 miles in a second.

We will never have flying cars in our lifetime. HIV will not be cured. I will never be in space. I will not have a jetpack. I will not have sex with a green alien woman or a robot sex slave.

Now can I please lie to myself about this? Just once? Is it wrong to be happy?

Sushikins · August 16th, 2007, 03:58 PM

Sounds cool, though I'm not gonna be too interested until they can make something like Light Speed Travel practical.

August 16th, 2007, 02:30 PM	#2
Soluzar Double rainbow! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: All the way across the sky... Posts: 13,580 Blog Entries: 45	This sure does sound impressive, but I'll wait for a little while before I start booking my next vacation on Centauri Prime. I've see enough cases in the media of falsified research that I'm a little wary of anything that seems too incredible to be true. __________________ One day men will ask... "Where did it start?" We shall tell them it started here. Join the ranks of Team Soluzar! Protect the forum against the threat of unexpected Prons incursions. Your forum needs YOU.

August 16th, 2007, 02:36 PM	#3
Sendo Takeshi High risk, low reward Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Smashing your guard Posts: 5,275	Cool. Now we can run really, really, fast. __________________ I could feel his muscle tissues collapse under my force. It's ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm. -Mike Tyson

August 16th, 2007, 02:58 PM	#4
Caine Resident Sabres Fan Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: better days Posts: 646	As has been pointed out elsewhere 1) we've known about tunneliing for a while 2) This isn't actually moving past light speed, its shortening the distance that must be moved 3) this hasn't been peer reviewd but ahs been released to the media? nothing suspicious there. 4) I'll be impressed when we've gone to plaid __________________ God saves, Satan scores Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now. Never put off until tommorrow what you can put off until the day after tommorrow Never let school get in the way of your education

August 16th, 2007, 03:35 PM	#11
master terrence eternal assassin Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: UCF Posts: 2,439 Blog Entries: 3	I think they just improved the microwave in all honesty :/ I'm not impressed until one of those photons travel 186,000 miles in a second. __________________ le

August 16th, 2007, 03:44 PM	#12
Nano NOT not not not Spiderman. Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: England Posts: 2,354	Those Germans are just rar too fast, too furious, too fast, too furious, too fast, too fast for ya'll. __________________ Signatures are over rated.

August 16th, 2007, 03:09 PM	#6
Evil_Koala Banned Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Oakland Posts: 2,313	Damn Germans beat us to it...Whatever it is... This is all good and nice but how does it affect ME?

August 16th, 2007, 03:22 PM	#8
trancemaster261 Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: somewhere on this damn planet Posts: 85	this could get interesting. i read that if anything got up to the speed of light, it would explode due to the massive amount of energy it would need.are these scientists still alive?

August 16th, 2007, 03:23 PM	#9
earsofdoom Banned Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,390	Go to warp four on my signal.

August 16th, 2007, 03:58 PM	#15
Sushikins 俺の後輩がこんなに可愛いわけがない Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Buckeye State Posts: 7,410	Sounds cool, though I'm not gonna be too interested until they can make something like Light Speed Travel practical. __________________ My Anime List \| My Backloggery \| My Top 15 Anime \| My Top 15 Video Games \| My Top 10 Manga \| My Figures Current Avatar: Kuroneko - Oreimo Currently Watching: Oreimo S2 \| Suisei no Gargantia \| My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU \| Yuyushiki \| Zettai Bouei Leviathan Currently Playing: Fire Emblem: Awakening \| Forza Horizon \| Tomb Raider Currently Reading: Bleach (Ch. 538)