That's correct, but such theories can be mapped to theories with constant C. Ultimately only dimensionless constants matter, all other constants are just conversion factors.
----- Oorspronkelijk bericht ----- Van: "Ben Goertzel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Aan: "Saibal Mitra" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> CC: "everything" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Verzonden: Sunday, August 01, 2004 07:00 PM Onderwerp: RE: Afshar and "...the idea of a photon is dead" > > I don't know anything about Afshar, but I do know that > variable-speed-of-light (VSL) theories of quantum gravity are now being > considered seriously by physics journals and by some leading physicists. > > Joao Maguiejo (sp?) has a popular book on the topic entitled "Faster than > the Speed of Light." The first half of the book will be too elementary for > members of this list, but the second half is a good read -- though it leaves > one eager for the mathematical details, which are found in the author's and > others' technical papers. > > Lee Smolin, who is well-respected for his role in creating loop quantum > gravity, is now taking VSL theories seriously. > > -- Ben Goertzel > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Saibal Mitra [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 8:03 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Cc: everything; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: Afshar and "...the idea of a photon is dead" > > > > > > Unfortunately, sensationalists articles that are completely baloney appear > > in most scientific journals from time to time. > > > > Nature published an article claiming that if the fine structure > > conswtant is > > changing, as suggested by some astronomical observations, then this change > > must be due to a change in the speed of light. Now, this must be nonsense, > > because the value of the speed of light, being a dimensional constant, is > > determined by our choice of units. In fact, that there are dimensional > > constants at all, is an artefact of using inconsistent units at the same > > time. > > > > > > Michael Duff has explained this in the articles: > > > > http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0208093 > > > > and: > > > > http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0110060 > > > > > > ----- Oorspronkelijk bericht ----- > > Van: "Nicole Barberis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Aan: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Verzonden: Friday, July 30, 2004 06:15 PM > > Onderwerp: Afshar and "...the idea of a photon is dead" > > > > > > > I was stunned to read "Quantum Rebel" in July 24th's > > > New Scientist. Shahriar Afshar, an American, comes to > > > the conclusion that "we have no other choice but to > > > declare the idea of Einstein's photon dead" (page 35). > > > His work has been tested and is now being peer > > > reviewed. How trustworthy is New Scientist as a news > > > source? Is it prone to sensationalists articles. I'm > > > a fairly new reader of this magazine, but it seemed to > > > me to be a good source of science news until last > > > week's rushed Hawking article and this week's > > > no-such-thing-as-a-photon showcase article. Of > > > course, if it is repeatedly proved true than I would > > > welcome the new finding but for now I'm just a bit > > > stunned by the news. > > > > > > -Nicole > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > > Do you Yahoo!? > > > New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! > > > http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> > > > Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 > > > http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/pyIolB/TM > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fabric-of-Reality/ > > > > > > <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > > > > --- > > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > > Version: 6.0.732 / Virus Database: 486 - Release Date: 7/29/2004 > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.732 / Virus Database: 486 - Release Date: 7/29/2004 >