Physicists Propose New Kind of Quantum Tunneling 163
KentuckyFC writes to tell us that scientists from the UK and Germany are proposing a third kind of quantum tunneling. They propose that a quantum particle is capable of changing into a pair of "virtual particles" capable of passing through a potential barrier before changing back. The supposition also provides some interesting methods of possibly testing string theory. So many interesting and useful possibilities, I guess that just means it will be debunked faster than other scientific theories.
theory, then experiment (Score:3, Interesting)
From the paper, it looks like this is enough stronger than a hypothesis, to justify the appellation "theory". There's enough information to build detectors that can discriminate the rate of tunneling (if any, of course) between this virtual particle mode, the conversion mode, and "classical" (uncertainty) tunneling.
Time for the experimentalists to take their shot at confirming/denying this one.
One question, though, about the conversion mode: where's a reference for a description of the impetus for the conversion? Is it a sort of uncertainty where the "current" mode of the particle is one of the allowed states of its energy, an oscillation like neutrinos, or does the string (if you go there) pick up energy from an extra-dimensional impact (changing its "tune") then release it in another impact or emission to return to the previous state?
Re:What? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:let's hear it for optimism (Score:3, Interesting)
Lets face it, if FTL travel isn't possible, the human race is doomed. Therefore, having the attitude that it is impossible is not useful to anyone. I know that as a scientific mind, you're supposed to follow logic and precedence. But if you plan to make a groundbreaking discovery, you pretty much have to chase what's believed to be impossible.
If there's any limitation to the scientific mind, it's that it dismisses the far out there, which is (sometimes) the next step forward.