Takaaki Musha

It is commonly thought superluminal or faster-than-light physics phenomena should be excluded from mainstream physics and considered an exotic subject to be confined at most to science fiction, since their existence should be in contrast with the predictions of currently accepted main physical theories. On the other hand, several theoretical and experimental results collected during the last decades (like those related, for example, to hypothetical tachyons, astrophysical quasars, anomalous dispersion in material media, quantum tunneling of single photons or e.m. fields, and quantum entanglement) gave founded evidence of the occurrence of superluminal processes. Unfortunately, the study of such phenomena has been often compromised by misleading analyses, scientific prejudices and/or misunderstandings, preventing a balanced and in-depth assessment. This discourages the realization of further experimental and theoretical examinations. In this book, the authors explored these possibilities by adopting an open mind and rigorous approach. Some of the most intriguing and fascinating aspects of superluminal phenomena physics by describing and discussing, from a radically new standpoint related to the picture of QED coherence in matter, a series of theoretical explorations probing the possibility that superluminal particles and fields actually exist were proposed. In particular, they also considered the hypothesis according to which the higher performance capabilities of the human brain, including consciousness, could be explained from the standpoint of quantum computation, invoking superluminal particles like tachyons. As shown in this monograph, superluminal fields and particles emerging from quantum vacuum coherent dynamics could be responsible for new types of physical process, providing new and valuable insights into the fields of fundamental physics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics, cosmology and biophysics. Additionally, superluminal fields indicate the need for an honest and deep revision of the currently accepted framework of theoretical and applied physics, as well as historically well-established scientific knowledge.