Editing 955: Neutrinos
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| image = neutrinos.png | | image = neutrinos.png | ||
| titletext = I can't speak to the paper's scientific merits, but it's really cool how on page 10 you can see that their reference GPS beacon is sensitive enough to pick up continential drift under the detector (interrupted halfway through by an earthquake). | | titletext = I can't speak to the paper's scientific merits, but it's really cool how on page 10 you can see that their reference GPS beacon is sensitive enough to pick up continential drift under the detector (interrupted halfway through by an earthquake). | ||
− | }} | + | }} <!-- The correct spelling of "continental" is acknowledged in the official transcript but it's not what is displayed in the title text. --> |
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | The " | + | The "Neutrino speed of light thing" [http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20110594-264/physics-shocker-neutrinos-clocked-faster-than-light/ is an actual story from the day before the comic was posted]. |
− | {{w| | + | In short, there was a {{w|CERN}} experiment where they shot a stream of neutrinos from CERN in France to a receiving station in Italy. The initial findings from the experiment were that the detector was triggered before the neutrinos could have ever gotten to Italy if they followed the {{w|speed of light|cosmic speed limit}} (the speed of light). |
− | + | In this comic, [[Cueball]] decides [[386|instead of]] arguing with people about the result and preaching caution, he takes money from them in the form of a bet. Cueball's comment is that most of these papers that are supposed to turn the world upside down end up falling apart after further investigation. | |
− | + | It was [http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112551696/cern-confirms-neutrinos-not-faster-than-light/ later found] that the data was probably wrong due to an incorrectly synchronized clock on the receiving end. | |
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:Megan: Huh? Cash? | :Megan: Huh? Cash? | ||
− | : | + | :(Text above half-sized panel.) |
− | :Yeah. When there's a news story about a study overturning all of physics, | + | :Yeah. When there's a news story about a study overturning all of physics, i used to urge caution, remind people that experts aren't all stupid, and end up in pointless arguments about Galileo. |
− | : | + | :(Half-height panel.) |
:[Cueball sitting on chair, looking down at laptop in his lap. Books and things are on a desk in front of him.] | :[Cueball sitting on chair, looking down at laptop in his lap. Books and things are on a desk in front of him.] | ||
− | :Cueball: No, this isn't ''about'' whether relativity exists. If it didn't, your GPS wouldn't work. | + | :Cueball: No, this isn't ''about'' whether relativity exists. If it didn't, your GPS wouldn't work. -- What do you mean, "science thought police"? Have you seen our budget? We couldn't ''begin'' to afford our own thought police. |
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:[Megan and Cueball talking again.] | :[Megan and Cueball talking again.] | ||
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:Cueball: It provides a good income, and if I'm ever wrong, I'll be too excited about the new physics to notice the loss. | :Cueball: It provides a good income, and if I'm ever wrong, I'll be too excited about the new physics to notice the loss. | ||
− | {{comic discussion}} | + | {{comic discussion}} |
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] |