Re: pinhole Speed of light, a law, or just a good idea?

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From: pauld@exploratorium.edu
Date: Tue Apr 22 2003 - 19:59:03 PDT 

Message-Id: <200304230259.h3N2wxo03667@isaac.exploratorium.edu>
From: pauld@exploratorium.edu
Subject: Re: pinhole Speed of light, a law, or just a good idea?
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 19:59:00 US/Pacific

Hi Raleigh

Scientists have been slowing light to less than bicycling speeds for years now.
It's well established and repeatable.

Just picture the material as having a really large index of refraction.

Of course then I have to explain how the index of refraction slows light.
Oops just dug myself into another hole.

(However I can do it next time I see you and we have some paper in front of us.)

Paul D

> While reading the April 19th issue of Science News,
> the only other journal I keep up with other than the
> Enquirer, I found an article stating that "Light
> rambles through room-temperature ruby." I don't claim
> to understand most of what I read, although I try, but
> I was baffled. The story goes on to say scientists
> have slowed laser light "to a crawl". "By firing a
> specially tuned green laser...through a...ruby" the
> scientists have "...decelerated light pulses to the
> 57-meter-per-second clip of an express train." The
> article states that this is an important development
> in optical-communication systems.
>
> The article also states that they are sometimes
> "...stopping light cold within frigid gasses and
> solids."
>
> Can this be explained to me without giving me a brain
> clot? So far I haven't seen any confirmation of this
> in the Enquirer.
>
> With firm handshake,
> Raleigh
>
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