30 September 2011
Sixty Symbols Video On Neutrinos Exceeding Light Speed
Posted by Dan Satterfield
I was hoping the folks at Sixty Symbols would do something on this! For those who are intrigued about the biggest scientific mystery of the year, this is a must watch video. Two UK astrophysicists at the Univ. of Nottingham talk about the possibilities, and their reaction to the news that neutrinos might be exceeding light speed.
Did you hear about the neutrino supercomputer that finished an infinite loop 3.8 nanoseconds before it started the job?? All my jokes are that bad…
The thing about tachyons was weird. If I understand these guys correctly they are saying that a theoritical particle defies light speed anyhow. It makes me wonder what’s the difference between theoretical physics and science fiction. FWIW Prof Jim Al Khalili said that if all this is correct he’ll eat his boxer shorts live on TV!
I think some of the experimental folks in physics might agree with your perception of the theoretical types 😉
Dan
I’m thinking lorentz violation in obedience of CP symmetry violation that is obvious in our universe.
OR we can go with CP symmetry being invariant and we don’t exist, as all particles neutralized into a decreasing gamma foam…
Since I am here and you are there, it’s obvious that matter exists in preference to antimatter.
So, IF the observation is flawless (overall) and valid, then we have one of two primary choices:
Lorentz violation or different tunneling behavior that is dependent upon energy level.
OR we throw Sir Issac Newton under the bus, along WITH Albert Einstein.
I am leaning toward finding some mistake in measurement although that may just be my discomfort at the thought of throwing Newton under a bus with Einstein. Einstein would be happy about it in a bittersweet way I think, but Isaac would be really ticked!
Yep, I can just see the scathing letters to the editor from Sir Isaac! He most certainly DID hold a grudge.
That said, I’m thinking observational/procedural error OR we’re seeing Lorenz violation.
And honestly, THAT isn’t especially problematic, considering current thinking on CP violation that prefers matter to antimatter in the universe after the big bang.
If this bears out as true, I can just see some wild eyed young men and women proclaiming false vacuum and assorted notions…