weird science

[jrtom]

material with negative index of refraction: http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/18/207253

(To be honest, I don't remember what the implications of this would be, and the article is unhelpful in this regard--informed geeks, feel free to refresh my memory. :) But it's clear that it's weird.)

universe may be small, finite, and shaped like a soccer ball?: http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/17/0150223

deconstructing the physics of Buckaroo Banzai (and it's more complimentary than you might expect): http://www.geekazon.com/banzai/index.html

Comments

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Index of refraction (n) means two things in optics: n=v/c, and n_1*sin(th_1)=n_2*sin(th_2) . The former, n=v/c is a measure of how fast the wave travels in the medium. Since n is usually >1, this usually means that light travels (or appears to travel) slower in anything other than a vacuum. I've always presumed that 0<n<1 means it travels faster than the speed of light, and the formula implies this as well. I've no clue what n<0 would mean. The second formula, Snell's Law, is a description of how light bends at the interface between two surfaces/materials. I believe it would give us imaginary angles of refraction... I need to read the other articles later too.