Harden Elkington
Nothing can travel any quicker than the speed of light.
This was Einstein’s unchanging axiom when he developed his theory of relativity: that there existed an ultimate cosmic speed limit, and that only massless particles could ever reach it.
Only massive particles could approach it but never surpass it.
According to Einstein, the speed of light was the same for all observers, regardless of their relative velocity.
But what if a particle could break this speed limit? What would happen then?
In the world of relativity, there is no such thing as absolute velocity.
To someone traveling near the speed of light, time would slow down, while to an observer stationary on Earth, the traveler’s time would speed up.
And what would the traveler see if he looked back at a stationary observer?
He would see everything squashed in his direction of motion, and time slowing down for everyone else.
It’s as though space and time have been mixed up with each other so that moving objects are squeezed differently from those standing still.
Is it against the law of physics?
No. Many scientists believe that particles can exceed the speed of light.
A recent Nasa study carried out by Marc G Millis, who was formerly in charge of research into ultra-fast propulsion at NASA’s Breakthrough Propulsion Project, claimed that if a particle were to move slightly faster than it should relative to Earth, but slower than the speed of light, it would create a warp field that could travel to other galaxies in minutes.
The problem is that such a particle would have to violate the law of energy conservation, which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed.
Violating this law would mean that the particle could move faster than light without breaking the cosmic speed limit.
But so far, no one has created a particle that breaks this law.
Is it possible?
Yes. Scientists believe that there is not just one universe but many parallel universes.
The trick would be to find the specific laws in each of these universes that govern particles’ behavior, which might allow them to exceed the speed of light without breaking any physical laws.
Reasonable doubt
Some scientists are not convinced that particles can break the speed of light.
They argue that the theory of relativity has been tested and found to be accurate in all cases and that there is no evidence to suggest that it is flawed.
Without concrete proof, they believe that it is best to stick with the current understanding of the universe.
If MINOS confirms OPERA’s findings, the consequences will be significant.
If you eliminate the speed of light, according to string theory, neutrinos that are faster than light may be slipping through extra dimensions that we cannot see, which would mean that our current understanding of the universe is incomplete.
Antonino Zichichi, a theoretical physicist and emeritus professor at the University of Bologna
Many scientists, on the other hand, remain doubtful. Many experiments have searched for particles traveling faster than light speed in the past and found nothing.
The fact that a separate study of a pulse of neutrinos from a nearby supernova known as 1987a revealed anomalies raises concerns about OPERA’s findings.
“It’s tough to reconcile with what OPERA is saying,” says Kyle Cranmer, a physicist at New York University. “I don’t think it’s time to panic quite yet.”
“I welcome outsider skepticism,” Ereditato adds, “but the researchers have been unable to uncover any other explanation for our remarkable finding.”
“Whenever you’re in these circumstances, you’ve got to go to the community,” he concludes.
So can particles go faster than light?
Maybe. Some scientists argue that the speed of light is not a constant in all cases.
However, there is no consensus on this among physicists, and it will take quite some time before this question can be answered definitively.
In the meantime, further research is needed to determine whether or not particles can break the speed of light.
So far, there is no definitive answer to whether or not particles can travel faster than light.
Some scientists believe that it is possible, while others argue that the current understanding of physics does not allow for this.
Whatever the outcome, further research is needed in order to determine the truth.
- See also: What would happen to your body if you were in the vacuum of space
- See also: What happens when your oxygen level drops too low
So what are the consequences if they can?
If it turns out that particles can break the speed of light, it would mean that we need to completely revise our understanding of the universe.
Extra dimensions may exist that we are not aware of, according to some physicists.
If particles are found to be moving faster than light speed, it may lead scientists to seek answers in alternative theories of physics.
String theory suggests that there are extra dimensions that might allow for these ultra-fast speeds. Another potential explanation would be that Einstein’s special relativity is incomplete or flawed in some way.
However, without definitive proof, it is best to reserve judgment for now.
Conclusion
So far, there is no consensus on whether or not particles can travel faster than light.
Some scientists believe that it is possible, while others argue that the current understanding of physics does not allow for this.
Whatever the outcome, further research is needed in order to determine the truth.
If it turns out that particles can break the speed of light, it would mean that we need to completely revise our understanding of the universe. Extra dimensions may exist that we are not aware of, according to some physicists.
If particles are found to be moving faster than light speed, it may lead scientists to seek answers in alternative theories of physics.
String theory suggests that there are extra dimensions that might allow for these ultra-fast speeds. Another potential explanation would be that Einstein’s special relativity is incomplete or flawed in some way.
However, without definitive proof, it is best to reserve judgment for now.
