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Post Closed as "Duplicate" by John Rennie special-relativity
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Qmechanic ♦
Qmechanic ♦
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Would forcing a photon to travel under *c*$c$ even after it leaves a medium break Relativity?

So, I stumbled onto this article which really blew my mind (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-30944584). To sum it up, these researchers set up some kind of material that slowed a photon down while it traveled through the material. Once it passes through the material, it should return c$c$; however, when they race it against another photon, it comes up short. To me, this sounds like it should be bigger news. The speed of light should ALWAYS equal exactly c$c$ when in a vacuum. So, if this was not the case, did they just cause some issue with Einstein? Or, is there something to which I am not privy? Thank you.

Would forcing a photon to travel under *c* even after it leaves a medium break Relativity?

So, I stumbled onto this article which really blew my mind (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-30944584). To sum it up, these researchers set up some kind of material that slowed a photon down while it traveled through the material. Once it passes through the material, it should return c; however, when they race it against another photon, it comes up short. To me, this sounds like it should be bigger news. The speed of light should ALWAYS equal exactly c when in a vacuum. So, if this was not the case, did they just cause some issue with Einstein? Or, is there something to which I am not privy? Thank you.

Would forcing a photon to travel under $c$ even after it leaves a medium break Relativity?

So, I stumbled onto this article which really blew my mind (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-30944584). To sum it up, these researchers set up some kind of material that slowed a photon down while it traveled through the material. Once it passes through the material, it should return $c$; however, when they race it against another photon, it comes up short. To me, this sounds like it should be bigger news. The speed of light should ALWAYS equal exactly $c$ when in a vacuum. So, if this was not the case, did they just cause some issue with Einstein? Or, is there something to which I am not privy?

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Curious Layman
Curious Layman
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Would forcing a photon to travel under *c* even after it leaves a medium break Relativity?

So, I stumbled onto this article which really blew my mind (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-30944584). To sum it up, these researchers set up some kind of material that slowed a photon down while it traveled through the material. Once it passes through the material, it should return c; however, when they race it against another photon, it comes up short. To me, this sounds like it should be bigger news. The speed of light should ALWAYS equal exactly c when in a vacuum. So, if this was not the case, did they just cause some issue with Einstein? Or, is there something to which I am not privy? Thank you.