Member of the Month

hi_vis360
November, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Light, and light years

profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
Here is a question I have.

So a light year = the distance light travels in a year.

The news mentioned the figure 11 million light years away.

So my question is how are we observing this light 11 million light years away now?

I'm not 11 million years old, I'm 23.
Aug 8 2012 1:08AM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
This is a good book I found browsing amazon you can buy which covers about visual perception: Visual perception: an introduction By Nicholas Wade, Psychology Press, 2001 - it details how the emission theory has never been disproved and that there is no actual evidence that light travels. I still don't have it but I've read parts of it online.
Aug 8 2012 3:50PM
0 0
profile picture
chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
apparently there is. for all of us normal people, to explain special relativity we need to assume the constancy of the speed of light in all frames of reference. When Einstein came up with this stuff he made that assumption as well.

It turns out though that you don't actually need to make that assumption. All you need to assume is that the laws of physics are invariant in an inertial reference frame. I can't explain this. But with that single assumption and some introductory quantum field theory courses (intro QFT is a PhD level course) you can apparently show this. I honestly don't have the slightest clue about Quantum electrodynamics and it's implications. All I know is that it is basically one of the most tested and confirmed theories we have.

Richard Feynman called it the "jewel of physics" because of how well it explained nature.

Aug 8 2012 4:12PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
Theories are not fact. Anything with theory in it's name is not proven most notebly: the theory of evolution.

I could invent a theory now i.e the theory that the sky is yellow, so the ''Yellow Sky Theory''. Obviously this doesn't make it a fact, it's just theoretical.

Most evolutionists though have a hard time understanding what is fact and what is theory or assumption, speculation etc. They can't distinguish between the two, and so they think evolution and any other science theory which has a considerable amount of support is a fact when it isn't.

Aug 8 2012 4:19PM
0 0
profile picture
chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
alright well I clearly know you are trolling now.

Obviously theory does not=fact. And obviously you are not stupid enough to think that "the sky is yellow" is a theory. "It's just a theory" is an argument that only uneducated people make to somehow try and discredit an idea.

Sure quantum field theory is "just a theory" but a theory needs to be based on empirical evidence and confirmed through experiment. If you know anything about statistical hypothesis testing you would understand this. You can never do an experiment and say that something is a fact. However we often will call stuff that has ridiculously high confidence intervals a "fact". It is a fact that they discovered a new particle at CERN. They will never be able to say that with 100% confidence there is a particle, but they have tested to such a great deal (5sigma, which is ridiculous, like 99.999999% or something) that they might as well call it a fact. So quantum field theory explains things that are for all intensive purposes "facts"
Aug 8 2012 5:36PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
Obviously saying the sky is yellow was not serious. IT was proving a point that I could make a theory out of anything.


The snow is green theory, the water is dry theory, anything.
Aug 8 2012 5:46PM
0 0
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
if you're gonna troll, at least get the little things right. thats not what the scientific community means by a theory.

"A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world. The theory of biological evolution is more than "just a theory." It is as factual an explanation of the universe as the atomic theory of matter or the germ theory of disease. Our understanding of gravity is still a work in progress. But the phenomenon of gravity, like evolution, is an accepted fact.[12]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#Definitions_from_scientific_organizations
Aug 8 2012 5:52PM
0 0
profile picture
dodgey
Posts: 590 - Karma: 266
it doesn't become a theory until it has substantial evidence to back it up. until then its a hypothesis. theories are NOT just wild assumptions and speculations as you claim they are

there is plenty of evidence that stars emit light and you have offered no real evidence to support you claims. your "theories" are the ones making assumptions with no proof.

your arguments are completely irrelevant and it seems like you have no grasp on the scientific method
Aug 8 2012 6:12PM
0 0
profile picture
dodgey
Posts: 590 - Karma: 266
haha ok fair. Nobel prize awarded.

i was trying to say visible light and didn't specify
Aug 8 2012 6:15PM
0 0
profile picture
Zimmerman
Posts: 6992 - Karma: 1,021
Hahahahaha I can;t believe so many people fell for this.
Aug 8 2012 6:16PM
0 0
profile picture
sniper_6
Posts: 1919 - Karma: 1,573
Holy shit. ++K for this being possibly the most intelligent post I've seen on NS in my 7 years of membership here. I'm really impressed by this post and all your explanations that follow. Its very interesting.

I myself and quite perplexed on how the OP has such high karma when he trolls so hard.
Aug 8 2012 6:38PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
I use a nice balance. I help a lot of people out. I've helped people right their papers, I'm helping somebody look for a good trampoline right now, I actually do care about people on here even if it does come across that I don't.


Occasionally I decide to post some quality funnies. But for the most part I give a fuck about people on here and if anyone ever messages me with anything they need help with, and there's anything I can do, I'm pretty much always down to help them out. Sometimes there isn't much I can do but I'll do what I can.


I love you NS


/From the heart
Aug 8 2012 6:42PM
0 0
profile picture
Carl~Sagan
Posts: 135 - Karma: 15
cry about it you slut
Aug 8 2012 6:51PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
um.... Okay
Aug 8 2012 6:54PM
0 0
profile picture
Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,133
I think we can all agree on one thing:
OP is a dumbass
Aug 8 2012 7:01PM
0 0
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
and that you wouldn't know a troll if it was sitting on your face
Aug 8 2012 7:11PM
0 0
profile picture
Rob.
Posts: 189 - Karma: 16
My favorite part of this thread. +K, coming from an engineer who doesn't want to deal with relativity.

OP, now look up the case of a pole vaulter running through a barn. That should keep you busy for a while: http://academic.umf.maine.edu/magri/PUBLIC.acd/phy110e/w03/polebarn.html
Aug 8 2012 7:12PM
0 0
profile picture
MASkier
Posts: 657 - Karma: 704
This question appeared on the fundie forums a few years ago.
Aug 8 2012 7:15PM
0 0
profile picture
chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
haha I just get way to excited when I see stuff about physics and astronomy on NS. Even in a troll thread.
Aug 8 2012 7:42PM
0 0
profile picture
Gods_Father
Posts: 1466 - Karma: -284
Yup, that aether does exist though, refer to Tesla's work/inventions.
Aug 8 2012 7:55PM
0 0
profile picture
chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
sorry what? I have no idea what you are talking about. Tesla did some great things but he was also really crazy. What part of his work are you talking about?

Aug 8 2012 9:14PM
0 0
profile picture
little1337
Posts: 8241 - Karma: 47,867
Boom...
/cosmos
Aug 8 2012 11:35PM
0 0
profile picture
Gods_Father
Posts: 1466 - Karma: -284

Are you sure that you are familiar with his work lol?

But to not be an ass, the Tesla Coil durrrr.

Aug 9 2012 6:49PM
0 0
profile picture
Bill.Nye
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 2,109
Speak for yourself

Click for larger image
Aug 9 2012 6:53PM
0 0
profile picture
chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
wtf does the tesla coil have to do with an aether? I could be ignorant but can't that just be explained through QED?
Aug 9 2012 7:26PM
0 0
profile picture
EricaMN.
Posts: 2704 - Karma: 347
this is too funny
Aug 9 2012 9:25PM
0 0
profile picture
Gods_Father
Posts: 1466 - Karma: -284

well the energy is thought to be the aether since it is harnessed from space(volume).

i don't think so, it has to do with resonance of EMFs and space. some of his other inventions use the same energy, he was a pimp.

Aug 10 2012 6:46PM
0 0
profile picture
1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,248
Threads for knowledge
Threads for seeing OP make a fool of himself
Threads because physics is fucking awesome
Aug 10 2012 6:53PM
0 0
profile picture
caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
Aug 10 2012 9:32PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
BOOM! Proof just happened
Aug 13 2012 1:18PM
0 0
profile picture
Dr.Gonzo
Posts: 2552 - Karma: 87
Click for larger image
Aug 13 2012 1:20PM
0 0
profile picture
Bill.Nye
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 2,109
So like, th earth is 4.6 billion years old. How can I live on it? I'm not 4.6 billion years old, I'm only 22.
Aug 13 2012 1:50PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
Exactly. Glad somebody hears me.
Aug 13 2012 3:07PM
0 0
profile picture
m-tang
Posts: 340 - Karma: 97
I'm high and this thread is really messing with my mind right now..
Aug 13 2012 4:13PM
0 0
profile picture
notfunny
Posts: 97 - Karma: 15
Aug 13 2012 4:59PM
0 0
profile picture
Anathema
Posts: 21048 - Karma: 5,061
maybe the light traveled at several multiples of c and got here faster than projected.


DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN
Aug 13 2012 5:04PM
0 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51675 - Karma: 162,683
Herp Derp
Aug 13 2012 10:49PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-5)