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From: masticol@clash.rutgers.edu.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.research
Subject: Re: Universe As Hologram
Message-ID: <1441@clash.rutgers.edu>
Date: Thu, 1-Oct-87 15:57:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: clash.1441
Posted: Thu Oct  1 15:57:31 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Oct-87 06:34:27 EDT
References: <7402@ism780c.UUCP>
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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Xref: utgpu sci.space:3055 sci.research:217

In article <7402@ism780c.UUCP> jimh@ism780c.UUCP (Jim Hori) writes:

> here are the first two paragraphs from an article
> in the September 22 Village Voice titled "The Universe As Hologram"
> written by Michael Talbot. 
> ........................................................
> THE UNIVERSE AS HOLOGRAM
> 
> Does Objective Reality Exist, or Is the Universe a Phantasm?
> 
> In 1982 a remarkable event took place. At the University of Paris
> a research team led by physicist Alain Aspect performed what may
> turn out to be one of the most important experiments of the 20th
> century. 

	[ Verbiage deleted ]

> Aspect and his team discovered that under certain circumstances
> subatomic particles such as electrons are able to instantaneously
> communicate with each other regardless of the distance separating
> them. It doesn't matter whether they are 10 feet or 10 billion
> miles apart. Somehow each particle always seems to know what the
> other is doing. The problem with this feat is that it violates
> Einstein's long-held tenet that no communication can travel faster
> than the speed of light. 

> Any responses?

I'd like to hear about a reference to this, and would especially like
to know whether anyone has confirmed Aspect's results. Also whether
Talbot interpreted them correctly. (The _Village Voice_ doesn't
usually make it to the top of the journal pile in most physicists'
libraries, but since I'm not an expert, I'm willing to listen to those
who do know.)

There are certain phenomena that propogate faster than light -
travelling waves in a waveguide are one of them, I believe. But you
can't transmit information over them. My guess is that Aspect might
really have been reporting something along these lines. Or his results
might be screwy.

In any case, Michael Talbot has leapt to some really grandiose
conclusions, which might go over big with the harmonic convergence
crowd, but not with a properly skeptical researcher. Such conclusions
(as is proper in French justice) stand suspect until proven true. And
I don't see any proof.

If anyone out in sci.research has heard of Aspect's result, and interprets
it as giving someone the ability to instantaneously transmit energy or
information, please let us know.

- Steve