Can something move faster than light?

Tormod · 03-11-2005

Okay, this question pops up now and then so let's have a new poll.

What do you think - can anything move faster than light?

Thelonious · 03-11-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tormod

What do you think - can anything move faster than light?

In theory or in practice?

bumab · 03-11-2005

Yes. (mainly because I think people will figure out a way to do what the past has considered impossible).

But, I don't think it will be "moves faster then the speed of light" but rather, "gets from point A to point B faster then light could." Some sort of space warping, or moving into some other thing (warp field anyone?) where the distance between two places is smaller.

GAHD · 03-11-2005

I don't know what i think in that matter.

But then again, I'm rethinking how I look at movevement because of that question. Such an eternal puzzle.

Fishteacher73 · 03-11-2005

I'm with bumab, I think that in terms of velocity, C is it. But thare could be other methods that could allow one to reach point B from A in a quicker manner than a straight line at C. What and how is up in the air, but with our understanding of how elastic space/time is, it seems somewhat reasonable that if we can streach it we can compress it as well.

maddog · 03-11-2005

I am not sure how answer the question... Theoretically possible if you expand what is definition of the
Lorentz Transformation by allowing Complex properties such that no mass particles crosses the C
boundary and massless particle move at C (or some harmonic of C). In this way symmetry is preserved
and Causality is not locally violated (assuming Tachyons don't openly interact with Tardyons).

Observably, no (this would violate the principle I said above).

Just a way of looking at it.

Maddog

Qfwfq · 03-14-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tormod

can anything move faster than light?

If you mean "anything" then yes, quite likely. One thing that probably can't is causality, even by whatever shortcuts.

Theory doesn't actually rule out any superluminal velocity but, if something goes faster than light for some observers, it goes backward in time for others. The same would hold for causality, hence superluminal causality being possible makes the time-reversed causality possible and vice versa. This doesn't depend on how it would get from A to B, it's enough for the two to be at a spacelike separation.

If anyone can find a way to accomplish it, send me those lottery numbers and I'll play the ticket. Current jackpot €50 million! 1 euro is over a dollar thirty US.

C1ay · 03-14-2005

'Something' is such a broad term. If you could turn gravity on and off with a switch might it move faster than light? Could a magnetic field be propogated faster than light? Are there forces we haven't even discovered yet? Could they be faster than light. SInce the question is not limited to matter then I think it is entirely possible. Who knows, maybe even tachyons are real...