Faulty Cable To Blame For Superluminal Neutrino Results

smolloy writes "It would appear that the hotly debated faster-than-light neutrino observation at CERN is the result of a fault in the connection between a GPS unit and a computer. This connection was used to correct for time delays in the neutrino flight, and after fixing the correction the researchers have found that the time discrepancy appears to have vanished."

Comments

Irresponsible use of the press

[Pausanias]

These scientists were irresponsible in their dealings with their press. Your likelihood of making a technical mistake here or there in a supremely complex experiment is far, far higher than the likelihood of special relativity being wrong. They should have kept it strictly within the community rather than embarrass themselves, and physics, in this manner.

Speaking from experience, you have got to be careful about these things. The press will pick up and magnify your slightest claim that you think Einstein was wrong. Science funding is in a dire situation in this economy. We want excellent, trustworthy science to be publicised so that we can get more funding for basic research. This kind of vain, selfish, publicizing of results you KNOW have got to be wrong is just plain idiocy.