What are the most important secrets of physics today?

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The discussion revolves around the current "top secrets" in physics, drawing parallels to historical events like the Manhattan Project. Participants express skepticism about the existence of truly top-secret projects, noting that if something is classified, it is unlikely to be publicly known. They mention significant ongoing projects such as fusion research, the Large Hadron Collider, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which involve international collaboration but are not classified. The conversation touches on speculative technologies like invisibility cloaks and electric sails, with references to recent advancements in these areas. However, participants emphasize that while some projects may be strategic or complex, the notion of top-secret developments remains elusive. They also discuss the limitations of certain technologies, such as solar sails, which are primarily effective in the inner solar system due to diminishing solar wind and photon pressure. Overall, the thread highlights the tension between curiosity about secretive advancements in physics and the reality of classified research.
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Hello. I wonder about the most important secrets of physics today. Once it was the "secrets of atom". Countries were in a race to be the first to do "atomic bomb." For that reason, America started the Manhattan Project.

Similary, do you know names of the most important developments of physics today? What have physicists recently done that is top-secret? What are they struggling to do today that can be considered as top-secret? What are they close to do? What is it that countries in a race for? Is it invisibility cloak, time machine, a new kind of weapon, a new kind of energy source, or teleportation\beaming up, a new kind material? What are the names of the projecst to develop them?

Thanks and regards,
 
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mech-eng said:
Hello. I wonder about the most important secrets of physics today. Once it was the "secrets of atom". Countries were in a race to be the first to do "atomic bomb." For that reason, America started the Manhattan Project.

Similary, do you know names of the most important developments of physics today? What have physicists recently done that is top-secret? What are they struggling to do today that can be considered as top-secret? What are they close to do? What is it that countries in a race for? Is it invisibility cloak, time machine, a new kind of weapon, a new kind of energy source, or teleportation\beaming up, a new kind material? What are the names of the projecst to develop them?

Thanks and regards,
Ummmm...

Two points. If it's top secret then most of us wouldn't know. And if they did they wouldn't be able to tell you!

-Dan
 
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mech-eng said:
Hello. I wonder about the most important secrets of physics today. Once it was the "secrets of atom". Countries were in a race to be the first to do "atomic bomb." For that reason, America started the Manhattan Project.

Similary, do you know names of the most important developments of physics today? What have physicists recently done that is top-secret? What are they struggling to do today that can be considered as top-secret? What are they close to do? What is it that countries in a race for? Is it invisibility cloak, time machine, a new kind of weapon, a new kind of energy source, or teleportation\beaming up, a new kind material? What are the names of the projecst to develop them?

Thanks and regards,
Some long term projects that are not exactly top secret.

Fusion spring to mind but this is a huge collaboration https://www.iter.org/

Similar at the LHC, EHT, JPL and James Webb, multi-billion dollar projects involving international teams and 1000s of scientists.
 
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Secrets? What will be on tomorrow's quiz, probably.
 
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topsquark said:
Two points. If it's top secret then most of us wouldn't know. And if they did they wouldn't be able to tell you!

Their names might be known? Before atomics bombs were made, weren't people aware of studies at all? Wasn't there a race?
 
mech-eng said:
Their names might be known? Before atomics bombs were made, weren't people aware of studies at all? Wasn't there a race?
Why would you let the other side know that you know about their secret program?
 
mech-eng said:
What have physicists recently done that is top-secret?

If you really want to know, you should get a job as a housekeeper at a large resort somewhere... :wink:
 
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Frabjous said:
Why would you let the other side know that you know about their secret program?

It might be leaked, or after they have done it, the others might become aware of it, for example.
 
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mech-eng said:
It might be leaked, or after they have done it, the others might become aware of it, for example.
You miss my point. These things do not become public knowledge. Einstein did not write an editorial in the New York Times. We know that Soviets had spies in the Manhattan project, but Stalin didn’t tell Truman he knew what was going on at Potsdam.
 
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If it was top secret then we would not know or not be permitted to talk about it. And how often is allegedly leaked information accurate? Sci-fi is fun and all, but it's fiction. Please draw the distinction.
 
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  • #12
nuuskur said:
If it was top secret then we would not know or not be permitted to talk about it.

Apart from being top-secret, it might be something important or strategic, or almost impossible to do.

Isn't invisibility cloak one of these cases?

It took ten years for the company to successfully prepare four patents. After years of dedication and handwork, the company has finally released the products in the international markets.

https://www.republicworld.com/world...-now-a-reality-can-make-troops-disappear.html
 
  • #14
mech-eng said:
Would another example be "electric sail" to travel across the gap of space?
Gaps between what? (hint, hint...) :wink:
 
  • #15
berkeman said:
Gaps between what? (hint, hint...) :wink:

Earth and other planets, or anything else.
 
  • #16
Maybe between the inner planets, but not much else. Quiz Question -- why?
 
  • #17
berkeman said:
Maybe between the inner planets, but not much else. Quiz Question -- why?

Not a quiz question, but a question for learning the facts.
 
  • #18
No, no, I'm asking you a Quiz Question about your reply. Why is that sail limited to use among the inner planets only?
 
  • #19
berkeman said:
Why is that sail limited to use among the inner planets only?

I know of that technology just from news of science. Scientists are trying to develop it as an effective way. I don't know technical details. Probably it is more feasible for that purpose.
 
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@mech-eng

IMO you are waaay off base. 30 years ago I worked on research projects in a facility that required a security clearance level. Just to walk in the front door. When I talk to people and they ask what I did back then, I say "I did biology/medical research". Even today. And for the few people I know who are currently in the clearance system I mention which facility I started working in. Which cuts off further conversation right there.

So what you are doing is speculating pointlessly. If you actually (accidentally) became privy to a "top secret" you'd spend days explaining it to a room full of grumpy security officers - exactly how you got that information.

Get a different hobby horse to speculate about.

For your edification I recommend the story of Wen Ho Lee:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wen_Ho_Lee
 
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  • #21
jim mcnamara said:
So what you are doing is speculating pointlessly. If you actually became privy to a "top secret" you'd spend days explaining it to a room full of grumpy security officers exactly how you got that information.
Good point, time to tie off this thread.

And @mech-eng -- on the Quiz Question about Solar Sails and the E-Sail you posted about, think about how the flux of photons and the Solar Wind both dissipate quickly the farther you get from the Sun. That's why their use is limited to the inner solar system for the most part.

From your Wikipedia E-Sail link:
The electric solar wind sail has little in common with the traditional solar sail. The E-sail gets its momentum from the solar wind ions, whilst a photonic sail is propelled by photons. Thus, the available pressure is only about 1% of photon pressure; however, this may be compensated by the simplicity of scale-up.
 

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