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Scientists slow down speed of light... to 38mph.
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| Lumps |
Old news, but interesting.. I think they just shined the light through the post office.
HERE |
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| DJ_NRG |
| Holy e!! That is actually pretty cool. Personally, I still say that it violates the Theory of Relativity, though. Maybe this will disprove it entirely. |
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| kypez |
| cant wait to tell my physics teacher about it. Im not sure if he knows by now. It was 4 years ago. Thats amazing though |
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| physe |
I've read where another team has managed to 'stop' light completely for a second. In both cases, the light is not actually stopped or slowed down. It's actually quite simple to 'slow' it down: when light travels through a material with an index of refration equal to one (in a vacuum) it travels at the empirical value for the speed of light 'c'. When it travels through a material with an index of refraction greater than one, the speed of light changes (it slows down). It isn't violating any laws because it is expected in the math.
There is another reason for these results having to do with propagation of information, which I'm quite sure is a better argument, but I don't remember the argument off hand.
Relativistic effects have been proven so it can't be disregarded entirely. General relativity is used in the study of planetary systems but it has a tough time describing the world of the small (atoms, molecules, nanostructures, etc.). Quantum mechanics is the theory that is used in this case. Both can describe their respective worlds with great accuracy but can't describe the other at all. Attempting to unite these two theories is a current research area. Scientists are attempting to do this with string theory at the moment. Who knows how this will pan out in a few years.
Anyways, light technically can slow down in different materials. There is nothing to get too excited about, no thoeries are being violated. =)
Cheers. |
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| Izzy |
| wow thats cool! slowing down light eh, why cant they speed it up now? |
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| physe |
| quote: | Originally posted by Izzy
wow thats cool! slowing down light eh, why cant they speed it up now? |
I don't believe that anyone has been able to make a material with an index of refraction less than 1.
This may be a bad analogy but I think it's something like having a negative resistance in electronics. It's one of those things that seems impossible but you never know. |
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| mr. poopyhead |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lumps
I think they just shined the light through the post office. |
HAHAHA.. the article... that's gold! |
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| nchs09 |
| quote: | Originally posted by physe
I've read where another team has managed to 'stop' light completely for a second. In both cases, the light is not actually stopped or slowed down. It's actually quite simple to 'slow' it down: when light travels through a material with an index of refration equal to one (in a vacuum) it travels at the empirical value for the speed of light 'c'. When it travels through a material with an index of refraction greater than one, the speed of light changes (it slows down). It isn't violating any laws because it is expected in the math.
There is another reason for these results having to do with propagation of information, which I'm quite sure is a better argument, but I don't remember the argument off hand.
Relativistic effects have been proven so it can't be disregarded entirely. General relativity is used in the study of planetary systems but it has a tough time describing the world of the small (atoms, molecules, nanostructures, etc.). Quantum mechanics is the theory that is used in this case. Both can describe their respective worlds with great accuracy but can't describe the other at all. Attempting to unite these two theories is a current research area. Scientists are attempting to do this with string theory at the moment. Who knows how this will pan out in a few years.
Anyways, light technically can slow down in different materials. There is nothing to get too excited about, no thoeries are being violated. =)
Cheers. |
??? nerd talk??? ( no offense)
but back on topic, what else can u expect from those nerds at harvard.... BUT it is preatty cool |
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| Martinez |
| that's amazing :wtf: |
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| DJPG |
| That means my Citroen AX can do almost Warp factor 3 :stongue: |
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| victor |
| quote: | Originally posted by nchs09
??? nerd talk??? ( no offense)
but back on topic, what else can u expect from those nerds at harvard.... BUT it is preatty cool |
call me a nerd... but .... i NEEDed to know that...
lol
thanx physe!!! |
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| razzi |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lumps
I think they just shined the light through the post office.
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classic |
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