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Electrical Pulses Break Light Speed Record

Posted by chrisd on from the canadians-show-us-the-way-again dept.

J'raxis writes "PhysicsWeb writes that 'Pulses that travel faster than light have been sent over a significant distance for the first time. Alain Haché and Louis Poirier of the University of Moncton in Canada transmitted the pulses through a 120-metre cable made from a coaxial 'photonic crystal.' Haché and Poirier emphasize that their experiment does not break any laws of physics. Although the group velocity exceeds the speed of light - an effect permitted by relativity -- each component of the pulse travels slower than light.'"

3 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Re:kinda cool by .sig · · Score: 2, Insightful

    (Meta on)

    Just out of curiosity, how can the first comment on a subject be redundant? That just strikes me as really bizzare.

    (Meta off)

    --
    -Space for rent
  2. Re:Uhhh, this is nothing new. by MindStalker · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I think the point is, you can create the signal faster than light, but you simply can't manipulate the signal to put information in it faster than light.

  3. Re:Well.... by MindStalker · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Umm this example decreases the total time by x regardless of the distance. So you would be able to send the signal 1 nanosecond sooner to the next galaxy that if you used light itself. Its not what your thinking. Basically your creating the wave, then spreading the wave, so that the front of the wave gets there sooner than light, and the back of the wave gets there that same amount of time less than light. Maybe we could figure out how to stretch that wave thousands of light years wide? HAHA