Are Tachyons Relevant in Modern Physics?

  • Thread starter edpell
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In summary, there is currently a debate about the validity of tachyons in physics. While some researchers are still considering their potential role in theories such as string theory, others argue that they are instabilities and do not have any physical significance. The use of tachyons in calculations may not lead to meaningful results, as their presence may indicate incorrect assumptions or calculations.
  • #1
edpell
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Are Tachyons in or out of favor these days? I seem to recall going to a talk about Brookhaven data (RHIC) that invoked ladder diagrams with Tachyons in them. And no one in the room seemed to flinch. What up with that?
 
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  • #2
Hmmm. Good question.

I would suppose that the entire problems lies within the scope of experimental validation.
Our scope is currently limited to c and sub-luminal observations/experiments.

Not sure how to get around this. Perhaps there is a way, but I don't know of one.
 
  • #3
This is a very strange thing! Are you sure they said "tachyons"? Perhaps they said "Pomerons"? Do you have a reference to the talk?

The only other possibility I can think of is that they were trying to do some "Dual Model" calculation. But I don't understand how "tachyon exchange" makes any physical sense.

Tachyons are instabilities in the theory. Their presence signifies that you are in the wrong vacuum, and your calculations break down. This is what the "string theory tachyon" is, for example.

You can, of course, perform calculations of "tachyon exchange", but then you're just playing a mathematics game; your final answer will not have any physics in it!
 

1. What are tachyons?

Tachyons are hypothetical particles that travel faster than the speed of light. They were first proposed by physicist Arnold Sommerfeld in 1904 and later explored by Albert Einstein in his theory of relativity.

2. Are tachyons real?

Currently, there is no evidence that tachyons exist. While they are allowed by the laws of physics, their existence has not been confirmed by any experiments or observations.

3. Can tachyons be used for time travel?

Tachyons are often associated with time travel due to their ability to travel faster than the speed of light. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that tachyons could be used for time travel.

4. What is the controversy surrounding tachyons?

There is a lot of debate among scientists about the existence and properties of tachyons. Some argue that they violate the laws of physics, while others believe they could have potential applications in fields such as quantum mechanics and cosmology.

5. Are tachyons still being studied?

Yes, tachyons are still being explored and studied by theoretical physicists. While their existence has not been confirmed, they are a subject of ongoing scientific research and debate.

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