- #1
GeorgeBaxter
- 22
- 1
I have been reading some sites that claim that the speed of light was greater in the past. They do not say whether it was locally different or over the entire universe.
My view is that either way, we could detect it. Locally would be an anomalous region of the universe looking very different to the rest, and that is not seen. If it C were different, then that too would show up. For example, E=mC2 would mean stars are considerably hotter, larger and may not form. The fine structure constant would change, and magnetic fields would be weaker. As the stars and galaxies show an amazing degree of uniformity and homogeneity, that must put very tight limits of any variation of C throughout the universe.
If C were say 100 times greater, then the energy released would be far,far greater, so the core temperature would be large, the internal pressure correspondingly greater, and so harder for the gravitational effects to overcome, and so the star must be larger. If it is too large, then it will simply merge with neighbours and not really be a star, more a glowing hot cloud over many light years.
Am I wrong on my assessment? Is there are value of C such that stars would not form?
Thanks
My view is that either way, we could detect it. Locally would be an anomalous region of the universe looking very different to the rest, and that is not seen. If it C were different, then that too would show up. For example, E=mC2 would mean stars are considerably hotter, larger and may not form. The fine structure constant would change, and magnetic fields would be weaker. As the stars and galaxies show an amazing degree of uniformity and homogeneity, that must put very tight limits of any variation of C throughout the universe.
If C were say 100 times greater, then the energy released would be far,far greater, so the core temperature would be large, the internal pressure correspondingly greater, and so harder for the gravitational effects to overcome, and so the star must be larger. If it is too large, then it will simply merge with neighbours and not really be a star, more a glowing hot cloud over many light years.
Am I wrong on my assessment? Is there are value of C such that stars would not form?
Thanks