Tachyons: Scientific Evolution(Mainstream)
Tachyons: A History of a Hypothetical Particle From early relativity debates to string theory — how physics has treated the idea of faster-than-light particles, and why none have ever been found. Early Concepts & Relativity (Early 1900s – 1950s) 1904 – 1905 While not explicitly proposing tachyons, Arnold Sommerfeld explores the possibility of entities traveling faster than light in the context of Max Abraham's rigid electron theory, predating Special Relativity. Einstein's theory of Special Relativity then establishes the speed of light in vacuum (c) as a universal speed limit for energy and information transfer, seemingly precluding faster-than-light (FTL) particles — conventional objects would require infinite energy to reach c. Post-1905 Theoretical discussions occasionally touch on FTL possibilities within relativity, often concluding they lead to causality violations — effects pre...