Lets explore this issue and why it is important.
I have explored this issue in some of the detail in various blogs on this site--"Einstein May Be Wrong" and "The Speed of Light Controversy" to mention just two.
Here we want to step back and view the controversy in a broader context in the next few weeks.
Actually the larger controversy is between Einstein's ideas of relativity and the ideas of quantum mechanics and string theorists.
Put in its simplest form the question becomes how can Einstein say that nothing exceeds the speed of light when we have many exceptions to the contrary. To wit:
1-Galaxies and dark matter may in fact exceed light speeds. We just don't know, but perhaps so.
2-Quantum Jumping of electrons from one orbit to another apparently happens at speeds exceeding that of light.
3-The quantum entanglement states that particles can instantly respond to one another across vast distances and have proven to do so time and time again in experiments. This occurs across distances as large as a galaxy and the article below indicates there can be fourway entanglements.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070905133621.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100927083907.htm
This is astonishing in its implications in that it implies that every particle in our universe may be entangled directly or indirectly with every other particle. This further implies that the universe in an entangle whole much like a human body can be described as an entangled whole. Wow. Moreover there is the implication that empty space has Aeather. Another wow.
4. Gravity apparently can effect bodies at speeds which exceed the speed of light.
5. Ideas around string theory suggest that we cannot detect entire universes inches away from us occupying the same space and time and
apparently operating under different laws of physics -stay tuned.
So what we have in fact is an ideological battle between branches of Physics and the hope is that CERN can solve some of the controversy.
But note the Physics establishment backs Einstein, right or wrong, and the insurgents are pushing for quantum and string theory ideas.
My view: Even Einstein did not say Einstein was right about the speed of light versus other bodies and their velocities. He was only focussed on light, denegrated "spooky action at a distance" idea (quantum stuff) and in the end could not figure gravity out or black holes. So if quantum ideas seem right on the level of the atom does it mean Einstein is wrong? Humm, that is the big question.
So the controversy rages on.
But note there is an alternative way of looking at the light issue.
First note that visible light if part of a film strip stretching from NY to LA would only be one frame in that film strip.
The rest is other forms of invisible light, gamma rays, infrared light and the like.
Why they are invisible in an interesting question and allied to the secondary question of how light becomes light, and indeed stars become stars and therefore visible is the real question.
The only answer I perceive is that the largest structure in our galaxy is responsible-that is the electro-magnetic bubbles which straddle our galaxy.
Two giant bubbles dominate the galaxy and no one talks about what it means. These are the largest structures in the galaxy by far.
See link:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101109152447.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100106193219.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100921144135.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909122146.htm
See my blog on this. This structure has analogs in terms of magneto-spheres with see we around stars and planets. Simply put magnetic lines of force affect the polarity of atoms to planets and therefore the formation and speed of light itsef.
This concept unites quantum, Einsteinian and string theory concepts.
This is a tall claim, and in the coming days, lets explore how this could be possible.
Meantime does quantum entanglement mean the universe is alive? See link below.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100927083907.htm
Quantum Communication across vast distances
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070905133621.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100927083907.htm
