Scientists Have Discovered a New Limit on the Mass of a Photon Based on Indirect Measurements.
Photons, or particles of light, have traditionally been described as massless particles. This is because they travel through spacetime at a constant speed and cannot be accelerated or decelerated in a vacuum.
The constant speed of photons implies that they have no mass, and there has been no compelling evidence to contradict this idea.
An image of a flashing quasar at a very distant distance (Photo: NASA).
However, a research team from Sichuan University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Nanjing University has now indicated otherwise.
The team suggests that photons do have mass and that we can actually “measure” them based on indirect measurements.
By studying data from fast radio bursts (extremely powerful light explosions of unknown origin detected in vast regions of space between galaxies), the group found a delay that correlates with the mass of photons.
From their calculations, they inferred that the upper limit of the mass of a photon is 9.52 x 10-46 kg (equivalent to an energy level of 5.34 x 10-10 electron volts c-2).
“This is the first time that the interaction between photon mass has returned a result other than 0 in a plasma environment,” the research team emphasized.
Although this is an incredibly small limit, discovering that light has any mass will significantly impact how we interpret the universe around us and our fundamental understanding of physics.
This finding also contradicts Einstein’s theory of special relativity and Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory, potentially leading to a new foundation for physics or even answering some of the big unanswered questions about the universe.
Astronomers note that this research underscores the necessity for high-precision radio telescopes to obtain quality and consistent data.
They believe that with advancements in technology, humanity will further narrow these measurements and discover the potential effects of light particles on the universe around us.
