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'Einstein Probe' Delayed
isorox writes "The BBC is reporting that a NASA satellite designed to test frame dragging, predicted by the theory of relativity, has been delayed for 24 hours because mission control couldn't verify the correct software had been loaded. The probe was proposed 35 years ago, but has never had the funding until now. The question remains is what happens if Frame Dragging isn't observed - will the experiment be wrong (in other words there's no point to it), or will we get faster-than-light ships for Christmas?"
Umm... that's not a theory, that's just some movie rubbish.
"COPYRIGHT 2002 OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES" gives it away. The last time I checked, Paramount wasn't investing very much $$ into physics research.
Also, even if the mass is reduced, it does not mean you can go faster than light. The speed restriction comes from the axiom that the speed of light is constant in all frames of reference. Thus, exceeding that speed will lead to time/space/and energy asymptotes. For example, as you approach the speed of light, your apparant mass in any other frame will be infinate which is a singularity and cannot be.
A warp field (doesn't exist) would theoretically reduce your mass and make you easier to push. Even so, you probually know that infinity * 0.000000001% = infinity, so there is no work around for going faster than light this way.
The only alternative proposed is worm-holes which have yet to be found.
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what's right. --Isaac Asimov
I'm not sure I understand why they feel the need to probe Einstein. Despite being dead, I'm sure he would mind so-called scientists sticking cold, metal devices in his corpse's rectal cavity.
True story.