"Cecil Moore" wrote in message
t...
Mike Kaliski wrote:
It was Richard Feynman who 'proved' that light always travels by the
most
direct route (i.e. a straight line) between two objects.

The famous relativity experiment that allowed men to
"see" a star "hidden" by the sun is a good example.

My point was that man's imperfect "laws of physics"
are often violated and have to be revised or discarded
in favor of a new set of laws of physics. If the
scientific progress over the next 1000 years
equals that of the last 1000 years, most of what
we think we know now will no doubt be revised or
proved incorrect and discarded.

For instance:
The laws of physics based on non-empty space (ether)
were discarded only to be revived in different form
by the discovery that empty space is far from empty.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Indeed Cecil,

Even as a youngster, I was never happy with the concept of space vacuum
being completely devoid of anything. I first started studying radio and
electronics because I couldn't see how signals could propagate through
absolute nothingness. With the benefit of age and experience, I can accept
the concept that electromagnetic radiation is self sustaining, oscillating
between magnetic and electric field incarnations and complete in itself. But
there was always that nagging doubt that this was not the whole picture.

I don't really expect most of our current laws of physics will be overturned
in the next 1000 years. I think new phenomena that exist outside of our
normal everyday experience will be discovered and whole new areas of
research will open up operating in parallel to our current understanding.
Current quantum research seems to suggest that we are all ultimately made up
of a series of coherent waves, with no solidity whatsoever. It's just a kind
of electrostatic repulsion that stops us falling through the floor. Whatever
the truth of the matter, it has very little impact on our daily lives and it
still hurts like hell when I stub my toe on the table leg.

Cheers

Mike G0ULI