faster-than-light
Also known as superluminal, FTL, faster than light, superluminosity
thumb|330x330px|Because the sphere travels faster than light, the observer sees nothing until it has already passed. Then, two images appear: one of the sphere arriving (on the right) and one of it departing (on the left). Faster-than-light (superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than the speed of light in vacuum (). The special theory of relativity implies that only particles with zero rest mass (i.e., photons) may travel at the speed of light, and that nothing may travel faster.
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31 sectionsContents
- Superluminal travel of non-information
- Daily sky motion
- Light spots and shadows
- Closing speeds
- Proper speeds
- Phase velocities above ''c''
- Group velocities above ''c''
- Cosmic expansion
- Astronomical observations
- Quantum mechanics
- Hartman effect
- Casimir effect
- EPR paradox
- Delayed choice quantum eraser
- Superluminal communication
- Justifications
- Casimir vacuum and quantum tunnelling
- Give up (absolute) relativity
- Spacetime distortion
- Lorentz symmetry violation
- Superfluid theories of physical vacuum
- FTL neutrino flight results
- MINOS experiment
- OPERA neutrino anomaly
- Tachyons
- General relativity
- In fiction and popular culture
- See also
- Notes
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|330x330px|Because the sphere travels faster than light, the observer sees nothing until it has already passed. Then, two images appear: one of the sphere arriving (on the right) and one of it departing (on the left). Faster-than-light (superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than the speed of light in vacuum (). The special theory of relativity implies that only particles with zero rest mass (i.e., photons) may travel at the speed of light, and that nothing may travel faster.
Particles whose speed exceeds that of light (tachyons) have been hypothesized, but their existence would violate causality and would imply time travel. The scientific consensus is that they do not exist.