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Faster-Than-Light Particle Results To Be Re-Tested

Posted by samzenpus on from the check-your-work dept.

surewouldoutlaw writes "After the astonishing news from CERN that the OPERA experiment had detected neutrinos traveling faster than light speed, challenging Einstein's theory of special relativity, there has been some skepticism over the results. Now Fermilab, near Chicago, has announced it will attempt to replicate the experimental results within four to six months."

3 of 412 comments (clear)

  1. Damn straight by mbone · · Score: 4, Informative

    They already did the experiment, and actually found similar results but did not claim any significance. Of course they are going to repeat this, once they finish kicking themselves.

    1. Re:Damn straight by LeDopore · · Score: 4, Informative

      From TFA: “We should have a result in 4-6 months as the data is already taken. We just have to measure some of our delays more carefully,” - Jenny Thomas.

      MINOS was already repeating their measurements, but CERN got the jump on them. It's anyone's guess too whether there was a back channel of information from OPERA to MINOS that might have tipped them off and encouraged them to start taking data early. With so many people involved, you almost have to assume that preliminary findings migrate across the Atlantic pretty quickly.

      --
      Expected time to finish is 1 hour and 60 minutes.
  2. Re:HOLY REPLICABLE RESULTS BATMAN! by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Informative

    There once was a lady named Bright,
    Who could travel faster than light.
    She left one day
    In a relative way
    And came back the previous night.

    So, either you already saw it coming, or you didn't :-)

    Now, to understand it better, read All You Zombies by Robert Heinlein (pdf of complete story). Considered by many to be the greatest time travel short story ever.