Related papers: Reflections and Thoughts on Tired Light
The answer to the question in the title is: in search of new physics beyond the Standard Model, for which there are many motivations, including the likely instability of the electroweak vacuum, dark matter, the origin of matter, the masses…
The hypothesis about possible existence of new class of particles able to travel faster then light as a source of dark matter, recently formulated by L. Gonzalez-Mesters, is analyzed. To this end the general geometrical model for several…
We consider some of the epistemic benefits of exploring "theory space" in the context of modifications of general relativity with intended applications in cosmology. We show how studying modifications of general relativity can help in…
Recent observations of variability in the ``atmospheric neutrino'' rate place constraints on possible explanations of the atmospheric neutrino anomaly. Many proposed solutions to the problem are static and can not be adapted to the temporal…
It is now, generally, believed that the presence of some form of dark matter is essential to explain the flat rotation curves of galaxies, and anomalous large velocities of galaxies in the clusters and superclusters. This dark matter turns…
Special relativity theory is generalized to two or more ``maximal'' signalling speeds. This framework is discussed in three contexts: (i) as a scenario for superluminal signalling and motion, (ii) as the possibility of two or more ``light''…
In contemporary physics space and time are intertwined entities so that kinematical and dynamical quantities are expressed in the four-dimensional space-time. This formulation seems to contradict our every-day experience and perception…
This paper presents alternative ideas on the physics of time that lead to a new interpretation of cosmological redshifts. These ideas are based on the close relationship between the speed of time and entropy processes in our universe. I…
The high-quality cosmological data, which became available in the last decade, have thrusted upon us a rather preposterous composition for the universe which poses one of the greatest challenges theoretical physics has ever faced: the…
A closer look (with hindsight) at Newtonian and relativistic kinematics reveals two things. Not surprisingly, Newtonian time remains the empty and artificial - albeit useful - figment it is known to be. Quite unexpectedly however it turns…
I investigate the relationship between faster-than-light travel and weak-energy-condition violation, i.e., negative energy densities. In a general spacetime it is difficult to define faster-than-light travel, and I give an example of a…
Science is a crowning glory of the human spirit and its applications remain our best hope for social progress. But there are limitations to current science and perhaps to any science. The general mind-body problem is known to be intractable…
The accelerated expansion of the Universe is one of the main discoveries of the past decades, indicating the presence of an unknown component: the dark energy. Evidence of its presence is being gathered by a succession of observational…
Achieving relativistic flight to enable extrasolar exploration is one of the dreams of humanity and the long term goal of our NASA Starlight program. We derive a fully relativistic solution for the motion of a spacecraft propelled by…
Without a doubt many problems in physics arise as a consequence of our philosophical conception of the world. In this contribution however we endeavor to alleviate this scenario by putting forward a philosophical approach under which some…
The requirements for stability of a Lorentz violating theory are analyzed. In particular we conclude that Einstein-aether theory can be stable when its modes have any phase velocity, rather than only the speed of light as was argued in a…
Assuming the existence of a preferred aether frame and the anisotropy of the one-way speed of light in platforms different from the aether frame, we derive the space and time transformations relative to bodies moving in any direction of…
In this speculative note some of the conceivable options of supercavitation in the vacuum of quantized field theory are discussed. The resulting modes of propagation could in principle be faster than the velocity of light in unbounded…
This paper aims at demonstrating that: 1/ Assuming the equality of the two-way transit time of light in vacuo, along the two perpendicular arms of Michelson's interferometers (modern versions of Michelson's experiment), and the anisotropy…
We show that energy concepts can contribute to the understanding of human travel behaviour. First, the average travel times for different modes of transportation are inversely proportional to the energy consumption rates measured for the…