Can the Speed of Light Be Changed and What Does It Mean for Space Exploration?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the concept of altering the speed of light and its implications for space exploration. While light can appear to change speed when refracted through different media, the fundamental speed of light in a vacuum, denoted as 'c', remains constant and cannot be increased. Theoretical discussions suggest that changing physical constants could lead to significant alterations in the universe, but such changes are speculative and would likely disrupt fundamental aspects of physics and chemistry. The conversation also touches on the idea that traveling near the speed of light could allow for effective space travel without needing to change the speed of light itself. Ultimately, the consensus is that while the speed of light is a critical limit, it is not a barrier that can be bypassed through conventional means.
  • #301
bino said:
i understand what the apparatus was suppose to do and what it looked like. i don't see how it could be considered a valid test to prove anything.
Tom Mattson said:
Read Chapter 1 of the book I linked you to. It explains everything.
bino, did you?
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #302
bino said:
if the Earth moves through it then the ether has to either move around the Earth or move through the earth.

The hypothetical aether does not interact with matter, so the motion of the Earth through the aether does not affect it in any way.

i understand what the apparatus was suppose to do and what it looked like. i don't see how it could be considered a valid test to prove anything.

No, I don't think you do understand what it was supposed to do. When I told you that you should read Chapter 1, I did not mean for you to simply look at the pictures. I meant for you to read the text and follow the math. The aether model makes predictions regarding the MMX, and those predictions were not met.
 
  • #303
You drive up to a four way intersection behind a car which is going the same speed as you. He doesn't stop and neither does a car coming from the other direction. They are both going 40 mph and ram into each other at the midpoint of the intersection.

If they had been going the same direction they wouldn't have hit together, for the same reason you didn't hit into the car in front of you. SO:
If a beam of light is moving in a different direction than another beam of light, it is NOT in the same inertial frame, because they can collide.
 
  • #304
bino is just playing dumb, he knows how to read, I say READ THE SR BOOK and stop asking questions which could be answered easily by the book.
 
  • #305
Nenad said:
bino is just playing dumb, he knows how to read, I say READ THE SR BOOK and stop asking questions which could be answered easily by the book.

that's my opinion too, his unique style of capitalization and short two-line responses appears to me to be a calculated style to make him look dumb. in other words i think he's trolling.
 
  • #306
i read up to page 11 in the book i have not had time to read further yet. but i did read all about the m&m experiment. so then the ether was suppose to interact only with the light and has no effect on anything else? that makes sense. but then it still only proves there is no ether.
 
Back
Top