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by John Carter on January 17th, 2004
The simple answer is that tachyons are theoretical particles that travel faster than light.
Beginning in the 1960s, physicists had proposed the existence of faster than light (FTL) particles; but the term 'tachyon' did not appear until 1967 in an edition of Physics Review [Phys.Rev. v.159, pp.1089--1105 (1967)]. You won't need an Ph.D. in physics to follow that article, but it helps.
So far, tachyons cannot be considered 'real' i.e. an observed phenomenon. The current theoretical model of tachyons allows that they can collide with other, slower particles to produce mathematically predictable 'debris' from the collision; but repeated experiments have not detected the expected collisions. Until tachyons are observed, they will remain outside the realm of science fact and reside instead in the dreams of science fiction.
What happened to string theory?
by yhtomit91 on January 3rd, 2011
| 1 person likes this
Is the Ironman arc reactor technology possible?
by AhimsaDas on March 18th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
Does it take much knowledge of science to know how to make a nuclear, or something similar, bomb?
by AlexanderTheGreat on April 25th, 2011
| 2 people like this
How long does it take for a nuclear reactor to cool down naturally even if the coolant supply fails?
by anil m on March 17th, 2011
| 2 people like this
why do they say you can not change a radioactive half life when that is EXACTLY what we do in nuclear reactors and bombs?
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT on December 10th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
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