Awatmath.1912 net.space utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!watmath!pcmcgeer Thu Mar 4 18:14:28 1982 FTL Quasars Hmm. Sounds interesting. Is it possible that the value of c is related in some way to the gravitational constant - or, put more formally, to the global curvature of space? If it is, then an explanation for the Faster-Than-Light quasars is immediate: It is known that the gravitational constant is decreasing over time (discovered in 1980). If we take the standard cosmological view of quasars, then they are inhabitants of the early universe, a time when according to current theory G had a much higher value than now. If it developed that c was directly related to G, then c would be correspondingly higher at that time: thus, we have quasars moving at speed greater than 300,000 kps but less than the then-current value of c. Notice how nicely this hypothesis fits with special relativity; we need not hypothesize faster-than-light objects. However, if true, then c (since this is, at bottom, just the speed of a little blue photon) should be variable with local (as well as global) spacetime curvature. Presumably, then, relativistic dilations experienced at some velocity in curved spacetime would be different from those experienced in flat spacetime, though I don't know how you'd do an experiment to determine it. This opens up interesting possibilities for an interstellar drive; if we could transport a portable black hole with an interstellar ship, we could, presumably, travle at much higher velocities than we could in flat spacetime. Cheers, Rick. ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.