A study by scientists at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has concluded that supraluminal velocities are impossible for single photons. This apparent confirmation of Einstein’s dictum that the speed of light in a vacuum is an absolute limit puts the kibosh on the possibilities for time travel–or so the team’s lead researcher, Du Shengwang, would have us believe. I make no claims to the contrary; however, the origins of the experiment itself led me to wonder what it is about some people that makes them want to prove or disprove either hypotheses or (apparent) facts.
Questions: When faced with an apparent absolute, what is your reaction? Do you accept it, or do you instinctively (or professionally) seek to find out if such a phenomenon is as absolute as it is purported to be? Either way, what does this tell you about your attitude towards authority? About your abilities to challenge accepted notions (aka, “facts”)? How does this play in your professional activities, generally?