Forever scientists have slowed the speed of light

The speed of light does not change. It's constant, isn't it? But, no! Scientists from two universities in Scotland have been able to slow light passing through a vacuum.

An experiment conducted by the joint effort of the universities of Glasgow and really really good-watt, most likely, will change the attitude of modern science towards the light. The results of the study were published in the journal Science Express.

It is believed that the speed of light is absolute. In vacuum it is equal to 299 792 458 m/s. Light travels more slowly inside the water or glass but speeds up again when moving in the vacuum of space.

A new study has shown that delayed photons can maintain their speed.

We have been slowing effect with some subtle but widely-known optical principles, stated physics.

The researchers missed the photons — individual particles of light — through a special mask. It changed their spatial structure and slowed the speed. The photons continued to move at a speed below the speed of light, even when they returned in the vacuum of space. They separated from the unmodified photons by about 20 lengths of light waves – about 11 millionths of a meter, the newspaper the Irish Times.

The new approach worked with the passage of the photons through the air and through a vacuum. He also works with the light beam and, as scientists hope, also suitable for other types of waves.

We believe that the effect can be applicable to any wave theory. In a similar way you can slow down, for example, the speed of propagation of sound waves, said scientists.

Source: hi-news.ru