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Author Topic: They broke physics! Good going CERN  (Read 717 times)

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Offline ProfessorFarnsworth

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They broke physics! Good going CERN
« on: September 23, 2011, 01:18:03 AM »
lol, actually an experiment might have revealed that neutrinos may travel faster-than-light by a tiny amount. I'd be still waiting to say "HOLY FUCKING SHIT, EINSTEIN GOT PWNED!" but this will be a monumental revelation if verified as true and not instrumental error.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15017484
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Existence actually has two broad meanings despite its apparent meaningless. The constant reconciliation of all its parts, and the conservation of any closed system as a whole.

Morality can be extrapolated from these meanings to make these two commandments of godless morality: 1). Be in harmony with one another and 2). Care for the environment.

Offline Peter

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2011, 02:47:54 AM »
I'll be absolutely gob-smacked if it's confirmed.
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Offline Calavera

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2011, 02:58:24 AM »
If it turns out to be true, does this mean that we'll have some logical explanations for the quantum world for a change?
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Offline ProfessorFarnsworth

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2011, 03:15:42 AM »
Quote from: MCalavera on September 23, 2011, 02:58:24 AM
If it turns out to be true, does this mean that we'll have some logical explanations for the quantum world for a change?

Well it undermines an entire century of physics which relies on the fact that the speed of light is a constant limit. Even if you define neutrinos as the new maximum speed, it raises more problems than what it solves.

TL;DR: I doubt it for now.
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Existence actually has two broad meanings despite its apparent meaningless. The constant reconciliation of all its parts, and the conservation of any closed system as a whole.

Morality can be extrapolated from these meanings to make these two commandments of godless morality: 1). Be in harmony with one another and 2). Care for the environment.

P7PSP

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2011, 04:07:49 AM »
Quote from: ProfessorFarnsworth on September 23, 2011, 03:15:42 AM
Quote from: MCalavera on September 23, 2011, 02:58:24 AM
If it turns out to be true, does this mean that we'll have some logical explanations for the quantum world for a change?

Well it undermines an entire century of physics which relies on the fact that the speed of light is a constant limit. Even if you define neutrinos as the new maximum speed, it raises more problems than what it solves.

TL;DR: I doubt it for now.
Might just bury that string bs for good in that case. Postulating extra dimensions to make shit fit is worse than Ptolemy's retrograde motion - probably forced on him by the church. He didn't want to end up like Giordano Bruno et al.
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midlifeaspie

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2011, 09:49:54 AM »
That's a thought that is going to fester
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Scrapheap

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2011, 10:59:33 AM »
I thought it was already understood that neutrinos and other sub-atomic particles can travel faster than light.  :dunno:

AFAIK, the speed of light speed limit, only applies to atoms.

That's why, right after the big bang, the universe expanded faster than the speed of light (cosmic inflation), because atoms hadn't formed yet.

The universe is 13.7 B years old, but it is far more than 27.4 B light years across. That means it had to travel at much faster than the speed of light for quite some time.
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midlifeaspie

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2011, 11:03:17 AM »
Quote from: Triumph Bonneville on September 23, 2011, 10:59:33 AM
I thought it was already understood that neutrinos and other sub-atomic particles can travel faster than light.  :dunno:

AFAIK, the speed of light speed limit, only applies to atoms.

That's why, right after the big bang, the universe expanded faster than the speed of light (cosmic inflation), because atoms hadn't formed yet.

The universe is 13.7 B years old, but it is far more than 27.4 B light years across. That means it had to travel at much faster than the speed of light for quite some time.

The theory is that the "fabric" of the universe is expanding at the same time.  So light is travelling along the the "fabric" at the speed of light, but travelling faster as the "fabric" is also expanding.

A photon is a subatomic particle.
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Binty

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2011, 11:16:41 AM »
This thread makes me wish I knew more about physics.
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Offline Phallacy

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2011, 02:25:25 PM »
The "fabric" of the universe? Like, is the universe some type of shirt or something? :orly:
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eris

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2011, 02:31:30 PM »
Quote from: Stultus Saxum on September 23, 2011, 02:25:25 PM
The "fabric" of the universe? Like, is the universe some type of shirt or something? :orly:

space-time is a fabric, yes.

Quote from: Binty on September 23, 2011, 11:16:41 AM
This thread makes me wish I knew more about physics.

me too.
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midlifeaspie

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2011, 03:04:46 PM »
Quote from: Stultus Saxum on September 23, 2011, 02:25:25 PM
The "fabric" of the universe? Like, is the universe some type of shirt or something? :orly:

It's a muscle-tee.
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Offline lutra

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2011, 03:09:20 PM »
(ditto wishing I understand physics better but..) think if this proves to be correct, I do think it shakes up the 'physics' world quite severely. Maybe almost like when mankind finally and fully grasped the world wasn't flat.
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midlifeaspie

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2011, 03:13:27 PM »
Quote from: lutra on September 23, 2011, 03:09:20 PM
(ditto wishing I understand physics better but..) think if this proves to be correct, I do think it shakes up the 'physics' world quite severely. Maybe almost like when mankind finally and fully grasped the world wasn't flat.

If this proves to be correct, it means that E=MC2 is wrong.  Pretty fucking significant.
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Offline lutra

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Re: They broke physics! Good going CERN
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2011, 03:21:14 PM »
Yeah.. and I find it hard to imagine. Like to see more empirical evidence though.
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Solum certum nihil esse certi et homine nihil miserius aut superbius.
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