http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1118133050.htm
That is some FIRST class experimental design and execution!!!
It also points out the difficulties an FTL space ship would have in encountering "drag" due to the appearance of photons. Walking in a "spitting" rain where one experiences the impact of a rain drop every few seconds is entirely different from seeing the same amount of rain creating streams of water running off of your windshield as you tool through the sky at 190 Knots in a Centurion 206. Fond memories.
Scientists at Chalmers have succeeded in creating light from vacuum -- observing an effect first predicted over 40 years ago. In an innovative experiment, the scientists have managed to capture some of the photons that are constantly appearing and disappearing in the vacuum.
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The experiment is based on one of the most counterintuitive, yet, one of the most important principles in quantum mechanics: that vacuum is by no means empty nothingness. In fact, the vacuum is full of various particles that are continuously fluctuating in and out of existence. They appear, exist for a brief moment and then disappear again. Since their existence is so fleeting, they are usually referred to as virtual particles.
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The experiment is based on one of the most counterintuitive, yet, one of the most important principles in quantum mechanics: that vacuum is by no means empty nothingness. In fact, the vacuum is full of various particles that are continuously fluctuating in and out of existence. They appear, exist for a brief moment and then disappear again. Since their existence is so fleeting, they are usually referred to as virtual particles.
It also points out the difficulties an FTL space ship would have in encountering "drag" due to the appearance of photons. Walking in a "spitting" rain where one experiences the impact of a rain drop every few seconds is entirely different from seeing the same amount of rain creating streams of water running off of your windshield as you tool through the sky at 190 Knots in a Centurion 206. Fond memories.
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