Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Speed Of Light Broken With Off Shelf Components

Posted by Hemos on from the breaking-the-limits dept.

jukal writes "An interesting article at NewScientist.com: " Now physicists at Middle Tennessee State University have broken that speed limit over distances of nearly 120 metres, using off-the-shelf equipment costing just $500.", " it may be possible to use this reflection technique to boost electrical signal speeds in computers and telecommunications grids by more than 50 per cent. Electrons usually travel at about two-thirds of light speed in wires, slowed down as they bump into atoms. Hache says it may be possible to send usable electrical signals to near light speed. ""

3 of 468 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'm going to sue by forged · · Score: 1, Redundant
    • it appear *before* you went out in the sun.
    Minority Report, anyone?
  2. Headline is misleading, by jpegNY · · Score: 0, Redundant

    but that's not a surprise.

  3. Re:Who are you scolding? by MrNally · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Oh... I think the slashdot editors could use a little scolding on this one.

    1) Everyone knows the c limit for information transmission. (Hands up those of you that don't know this.)

    2) In the unlikely event that the speed of light had been broken (which while I'm sceptical about happening, I'll leave it open as a possibility) the editors ought to be using the principle that 'extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.' Not doing so risks my readership. Sensationalism is just a waste of time.

    3) If the speed of light is ever broken, slashdot isn't going to be given much credit for breaking the story first, so why don't we start asking more of the editors?

    --

    Experiment!