Editorial: Wow, light is a lightweight!
The CERN particle accelerator in Geneva where researchers observed subatomic particles moving faster than the speed of light (2005 photo). Credit: AP Photo/
One of the cornerstones of physics, accepted for a century, is that nothing travels faster than the speed of light. But is it true? Researchers at an Italian laboratory rocked the scientific world last week when they announced they had clocked neutrinos, subatomic particles, outpacing light by a few billionths of a second over a distance of 450 miles.
Besides shock, the biggest response from the scientific world has been caution: The result must be duplicated in separate experiments by other teams before it can be believed. If it's true, it suggests tremendous possibilities -- including time travel -- previously believed to be impossible. And it reminds us that science is never "settled." As long as our methods of observation and experimentation can improve, so will our body of knowledge. hN
