MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: WHAT ADVANTAGE IS SLOWING LIGHT TO 38 MPH GOING TO HAVE?

Date: Tue Feb 23 16:31:55 1999
Posted By: Pauline Barmby, grad student, Harvard University Astronomy Dept.
Area of science: Physics
ID: 919720534.Ph
Message:

Mitch,

Here is an article about some experiments to slow the speed of light. It's important to understand that any material slows the speed of light (for example, light travels more slowly in water than in air, and more slowly in air than in vacuum). This research used a special state of matter, called a "Bose-Einstein condensate" to slow the speed of light by an enormous amount.

The article mentions that there are several benefits to be gained from this research:

You might be able to think of other ways that lowering the speed of light would be useful. For example, machines that use light pulses for signalling have to work very fast (since light travels so quickly). But if the light weren't going so fast perhaps the machines could be slower. What other ideas can you come up with?

It takes time for scientific advances to be turned into technological advances, and sometimes that never happens. But we scientists tend to think that it's worth it to understand how the universe works even if that knowledge doesn't lead to a better cell phone!

Pauline


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