The two-day international seminar on 'Special Relativity' held at Rajshahi University concluded yesterday with the notion that the theory of relativity propounded by Albert Einstein is not lost, even if the sub-atomic particles called neutrinos travel faster than light.
Dr Mushfiq Ahmad and M Osman Gani Talukder, both former physics teachers of Rajshahi University (RU), yesterday presented two papers, in addition to the eight others submitted by them the previous day, claiming that the new theories given by them resolve the worldwide dilemma over faster than light speed.
Much of modern physics depends on Albert Einstein's century-old theory of special relativity that nothing can exceed the speed of light. But the theory was seriously challenged in September last year when CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) experiment found faster than light speed.
The dilemma has been resolved through adopting a non-Einsteinian approach and completing Einstein's theory of special relativity, Talukder said, reading out a paper prepared jointly with Ahmed.
“We have classified velocity into two classes -- Galilean and relativistic. Galilean velocity can have any value between 0 and 8 while the relativistic velocity follows LorentzEinstein law of addition and cannot exceed the speed of light,” he said.
"We consider that the superluminal velocity of neutrino, measured by CERN scientists, is Galilean; and then we developed the transformational relation between Galilean and relativistic velocities.
"Using the relativistic rule for multiplication of velocities, we have demonstrated that the velocity in the relativity factor of special relativity is relativistic. We applied the transformational relation to find the relativistic value of the velocity of neutrino.
"Using this value, we showed that the relativistic mass in special relativity increases by a factor of 2.08 while non-Einsteinian theory of relativity gives the same value 2.08," he said.
The two papers presented yesterday were titled 'Homogeneous Number System and Correspondence between Infinity and Invariant under Addition' and 'Neutrino Travelling Faster than Light and Einsteinian and Non-Einsteinian Views of Relativity'.
The two Bangladeshi physicists responded to a number of questions from participants during the two-day seminar.
However, their groundbreaking claims are yet to be reviewed by the scientist community.
The university authorities will arrange the publication of the minutes of the two-day seminar in a journal within a week and upload it onto the Internet for review by scientists worldwide, said RU Vice Chancellor Prof M Abdus Sobhan at the concluding session.
Prof Hartmut Baerwolff of University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Germany, chaired yesterday's session.
On the first day, the two Bangladeshi physicists detailed their groundbreaking claim of giving a complete form to Einstein's theory of special relativity and presented an alternative relativity theory.
Rajshahi University organised the two-day seminar on 'Special Relativity' in association with The Daily Star at RU Senate Bhaban. Private television Channel I was the media partner.