Was Einstein wrong? The Big Bang, the LHC and the God Particle
Cormac ORaifeartaigh (WIT)
Overview
I The experiment What, why, how Relativity (special) Theory and experiment Relativity (general) Theory and experiment Skepticism in science
Coda: what if..?
II
III
IV
Distance of 732 km
Time of flight 2.43 ms Highly respected group Result: early by 60 nanoseconds 0.003% faster than light in vacuum!
Neutrinos
Suggested by Pauli (1930)
Conservation of energy
Zero charge, zero mass
Weak interaction
Skepticism (non-physicists)
Detected in 1956
Neutrinos
Tiny mass (non-zero?) Dark matter? The solar neutrino paradox Three different types Neutrino oscillation Gran Sasso experiment
Change of flavour
Standard Model
2.43006 +/- 0.00001 ms Velocity = distance/time v/v = 2.5 x 10-5 (25 ppm) Note: proton pulse 10 s long (10,000 ns)
OPERA Snags
Not direct comparison Light does not travel through mountain Accurate measurement of distance Relies on GPS Accurate measurement of time-of-flight Relies on GPS and statistics (pulses)
Length contraction
Time dilation
L(v) L0 1 v 2 / c 2
t (v) t0 / 1 v 2 / c 2
m(v) m0 / 1 v 2 / c 2
Mass increase
E = mc2
CERN (Geneva)
energy increase
velocity increase? K.E = 1/2mv2
mass increases
Relativity skepticism
Extraordinary concept Counter-intuitive Only observable at tremendous speeds Only observable for subatomic particles Speed of light plays role of infinity Simple maths Time and distance calculations Personalization Confusion of discovery and justification Compare: evolution, climate science
Gravity = curvature of space and time New view of gravity Revolution Cosmological implications
x speed of radiowaves Triangulation using 4 sources accurate to within 5 metres Assumes constancy of speed of light
Clocks fast by 45 s/day Satellite clocks fast by 38 s/ day Well-known correction to GPS OPERA - new correction? (18m?)
IV Skepticism in science
Many years for new result to be accepted Must be reproducible Must fit known experiments
Attributed to conservatism
Role of evidence misunderstood Balanced debate unweighted Science journalism: news driven
Bjorn Lomborg
Summary
Extraordinary result Indirect measurement
Contradicts theory Special and general relativity Contradicts experiment Particle experiments Astronomy experiments Extraordinary evidence? X But what if.... ?