Relativity may be safe from superluminal neutrinos


The Oscillation Project with Emulsion-tRacking Apparatus (OPERA) tau neutrino detector in Gran Sasso, Italy

I’m not going to say I told you so, But I Told You So!

Those weird faster-than-light neutrinos that CERN thought they saw last month may have just gotten slowed down to a speed that’ll keep them from completely destroying physics as we know it. In an ironic twist, the very theory that these neutrinos would have disproved may explain exactly what happened.

Spoiler Alert: the article suggests the effects of relativity on the GPS satellite used to clock the neutrinos were not correctly taken into account. When they are taken into account the 60 odd nano-seconds that were throwing everything off disappear faster than a neutrino down an event horizon.

Update: Via RandomFacter in comments, you should have put your money down.

Comments

  1. Pierce R. Butler says

    That lovely arched ceiling, particularly as it’s in Italy, just cries out for a painting of cosmic cultural significance.

  2. jakc says

    I guess I’m going to have to re-think my Pissed-Off Einstein-with-an-axe Halloween … err Jesusween costume.

  3. ManOutOfTime says

    186,000 miles per second: not just a good idea … it’s the law, bitches! #dontfuckwitheinstein

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