/sci/ - Science & Math

"splitting the atom"

>>7071334
we are so far away from speed-of-light data transfer that this is a dumb question

>>7071339
>we are so far away from speed-of-light data transfer

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/151498-researchers-create-fiber-network-that-operates-at-99-7-speed-of-light-smashes-speed-and-latency-records

>>7071334
>http://www.extremetech.com/computing/151498-researchers-create-fiber-network-that-operates-at-99-7-speed-of-light-smashes-speed-and-latency-records

airplanes traveling faster than sound; man reaching the moon/ space travel; burning a diamond; women getting scientific recognition;

not 100% sure of the last one tho :/

>>7071334
pretty much everything that exists now.

>>7071342
You realize 99.7% is still absurdly far when dealing with hitting light speed? You can't think in normal terms with that shit.

>>7071334
Flying and rocketry might be two good examples. However, most technological paradigm shifts don't come from overcoming known "impossible" laws of physics, but rather discovering previously unknown or seemingly useless (but quirky) phenomena. Nobody realized the potential of a transistor, or electricity, or radioactivity when they were first discovered.

The big three "overcoming impossible physics" that I could imagine this century might be quantum computers, cost-efficient fusion power, and cost-efficient space travel. However, the biggest changes to society won't come from known unknowns, but unknown unknowns.

As for FTL travel, don't expect it any time soon.

>>7071357
>>7071342
have you heard of something called
>relativity

>>7071369
Pretty sure we'd be happy to travel at 99.7% light speed already

>>7071334
>>7071334
New paradigm shifts such a relativity and quantum mechanics severely defy the previous laws of physics.
To list a few things which defied previous laws:
- Special relativity and ether
- Gravitation and newtonian gravity
- Quantum mechanics and classical mechanics
- Even Maxwell's laws were not immediately accepted, it took 20 years for them to be.

>>7071444
By Gravitation I mean General Relativity of course, which is the modern theory of gravitation

Relativity is not just a technical obstacle, but a fundamental law. I dont think FTL will ever be possible.

When the singularity happens, the best we can hope for is to travel as EM signals describing the mind state. This would feel instantaneous from the point of view of the traveler, and would take the same time as the distance in light years from the point of view of a stationary observer.

>>7071334
Velocity faster than the speed of light is impossible.

Travel (as in going from point a to point b) faster than light is possible.