Can light be faster than light?
Nothing is faster than light, but….. Parts of a light wave can be accelerated beyond this speed by passing the wave through a vial of energetic potassium atoms. On the face of it, this contradicts Einstein’s special theory of relativity. So, rather than saying as Einstein did that nothing can be faster than the speed of light in a vacuum (abbreviated as c), physicists now prefer a more precise version: information cannot travel faster than c.
Well, we are at a time in which science is advancing at break-neck pace. I’m going to bet that in the next twenty years, we will find a way to propel objects to speeds greater than that of light. Probably, even without a vacuum. My thought on this is…Will Einstein be remembered like Ptolemy? If you all remember your early elementary science classes, Claudius Ptolemy, was an astronomer, mathematician and geographer whose geocentric system theory (Earth-Centered Universe theory) held sway for 1,500 years. It was only when Nicolai Copernicus came up with the heliocentric system (Sun-centered system) that popular thought began to change. I think that Einstein will be remembered for much more than the theory of relativity. But as Einstein proved Newton wrong, space and time are not absolute, someone will prove Einstein wrong. It’s already starting. Newton is remembered though, for he gave us gravity. I have to believe that Einstein is more of a Newton than a Ptolemy.
May 27th, 2003 at 11:42 am
Stuart I agree with you. And Einstein’s track record is short-lived compared to Ptolemy. 1500 years!