Studies of pulsating stars in the Milky Way and mysterious radio signals from other galaxies showed that a particle of light – photon – cannot be heavier than 9.52 × 10^-46 kilograms. This discovery, although it involves an extremely small mass, can seriously affect our understanding of the universe and physics as a whole.
Photons are usually considered massless particles. These discrete amounts of energy move through space-time with constant speed, without accelerating and not slowing down in a vacuum. This constant speed indicates the absence of a mass, and there is no evidence of the opposite. However, the absolute confidence that the photons of Besomas is not.
If the photon really had a lot, even if it was very small, it would contradict the special theory of relativity of Einstein and electromagnetic theory. This could lead to the emergence of new physics and, possibly, give answers to some fundamental questions about the universe, although it would give rise to many new ones.
Direct measurements of the mass of photon are impossible taking into account its alleged smallness. However, indirect measurements can give us the upper limit of this hypothetical mass. This is exactly what the group of astronomers did.
A team of scientists from Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Nankino analyzed the data, collected using the Parkes Pulsar Timing Arrey array and data on quick radio support from various sources to determine the maximum possible mass of light.
Assive for measuring the time for the arrival of signals from pulsars is a set of radio telescopes observing neutron stars that emit pulsating rays of electromagnetic radiation with extreme accuracy. Quick radio splashes are powerful flashes of light of unknown origin, found at large intergalactic distances.
Researchers studied the measure of dispersion, one of the key parameters of pulsars and fast radio surrounds. It indicates how much the pulsating ray of the radiowater is scattered by free electrons between the light source and us.
, within the framework of the standard model of physics of elementary particles of photons, are considered as nonsense particles. However, some expanded theories, such as quantum gravity theories, allow the possibility that photons can have extremely small, but non-zero mass. If we assume the presence