A funny story

[Astralzombie]

I recently read a funny story that some guy said happened to him in boot camp back in the Korean War.  He said his Drill Sargent was the real deal hard butt.

This guy screwed up and the DS told him to do something fast as in double time. His reply was "Yes Sir, fast as light Sir."

The DS told him that wasn't fast enough so the guy asked him what could possibly be faster. The DS told him darkness was faster since every time the light comes around the darkness has to get the hell out of it's way.

In science there is no such thing as cold. There is only heat and the absence of heat. The same hold's true for light energy and the absence of light energy in whatever form it happens to be in.

Is it possible we are viewing this in the wrong light (a silly pun)?

[Bedeekin]

haha... nice.

It reminds me of the question - if light is a 'thing' (photons) where does it go when the light is turned off at night?

My answer - the Refrigerator.

[Astralzombie]

haha... nice.

It reminds me of the question - if light is a 'thing' (photons) where does it go when the light is turned off at night?

My answer - the Refrigerator.

Seriously, where would they go? If the photon is an actual particle, then simple light energy and dissipation doesn't square the rationale of photon particles disappearing with my limited understanding.

Unless the photon is only activated by the energy but that still oversimplifies it.

[ChopstickFox]

Dum dum dum..... Too bad we can't ask any aliens.

[Wi11iam]

Cold being 'not real' (WFT?) as in the absence of hot, then dark being 'not real' (WTFA) would mean the absence of light.  Where does the hot go?  (Not the fridge) where does the light go (not the fridge either...I had a look and the bulb has blown) so...wait a minute - aren't  there aspects light which cant be seen but are still there...so are these aspects of light...part of darkness?

Therefore are cold and dark not absence of heat or light but aspects of...?

[Fwewyu Tìomumä]

Well, it turns out that modern physics is based upon a bunch of "assumptions" (just like math). One of these assumptions is that light has properties of both a particle and a wave. For certain situations, light is best described as a particle, and others a wave. But the interesting thing is that we don't truly know what light is, we only know its properties.

So when the light is turned off, I visualize the light as photons or waves streaming out into the universe until they hit something and give it energy.

Also, I don't think there is any quantifiable "darkness"...just the absence of light.

[Astralzombie]

Well, it turns out that modern physics is based upon a bunch of "assumptions" (just like math). One of these assumptions is that light has properties of both a particle and a wave. For certain situations, light is best described as a particle, and others a wave. But the interesting thing is that we don't truly know what light is, we only know its properties.

So when the light is turned off, I visualize the light as photons or waves streaming out into the universe until they hit something and give it energy.

Also, I don't think there is any quantifiable "darkness"...just the absence of light.

It's good to know that the next generation of physicists are willing to question some of the "truths" that aren't.

Will, it's hard to imagine that certain light waves can exist and without an obvious source in a completely darkened room but like you say some wavelengths of light are not visible to our eye. And it's a huge fallacy to think we know all the wavelengths and possible sources.

Science doesn't measure how cold something is, they measure the lack of heat. So don't get freaked out the next time you go outside and experience a sensation that gives you goosebumps, makes your teeth clatter, gives you perky nips, and see your breath. This is called cold and cold is real.

[Szaxx]

Here's one postulate.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Therefore,
It can only be converted.

What happens to light travelling away from a sun on the edge of our universe?

[desert-rat]

This reminds me of the double slit experiment .  Light can be either mater or energy .  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_slit_experiment            desert rat 

[Fwewyu Tìomumä]

Here's one postulate.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Therefore,
It can only be converted.

What happens to light travelling away from a sun on the edge of our universe?

Well, this brings up another topic of discussion-infinity.

Since, for all we know, the universe is infinite, light at the "edge" of the universe will just keep traveling outwards, because there really isn't an "edge" to the universe. Another theory is that the universe is sort of round, that is, when light gets to the edge of the universe, it keeps travelling forward, but because of some space-time continuum (or something), the light is actually bending around the universe. Even though this seems like we're putting a limit on a limitless universe, it's not because of that same space-time thingy that I really don't understand.

I recently started reading a very interesting book called Infinity and the Mind by Rudy Rucker-it really describes the current theories of infinity and what impact they have on science today. It's pretty technical, so it's hard to understand (one of those books you have to read the lines over several times to comprehend), but overall a cool book.