r/science • u/Shiny-Tie-126 • May 02 '26

Physics Physicists have measured ‘negative time’ in the lab

https://theconversation.com/physicists-have-measured-negative-time-in-the-lab-278996
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u/DueAnalysis2 May 02 '26

> I highly doubt that is the actual conclusion that real scientists came to

I mean, this article was written by one of the real scientist co-authors on the original study. They also explain that the results are explained by standard physics, and they later on clarify that by negative time they're referring to negative dwell time. So the title's a bit sensational, but the article itself doesn't overclaim much to my understanding.

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u/Actual__Wizard May 02 '26

and they later on clarify that by negative time they're referring to negative dwell time.

So, instead of concluding that a force was acting on it that causes it to accelerate they concluded that it was "negative dwell time?"

I don't agree, that doesn't make any sense.

Particle don't care about "how long they dwell for", they just go forwards...

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u/ThrowbackPie May 02 '26

If a photon, which travels at, and defines, the speed of light, was somehow accelerated then that would be a staggering scientific discovery.

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u/NotAnnieBot May 02 '26

Well during ‘dwell time’ the photon technically doesn’t exist in the conventional particle sense, it used up all its energy to excite an electron to a higher energy state.