OPERA超光速中微子与人类对时空观的认识历程

摘要

The understanding of space and time is the most important aspect of theoretical physics, and the current foundation of modern physics is based upon Einstein＇s relativistic spacetime. However, OPERA collaboration recently published their finding that muon neutrinos might travel faster than light, if proved, which will present a big revolution of Einstein＇s spacetime concepts. In this paper, we discuss OPERA superluminal neutrinos from experimental discoveries, possible theoretical interpretations, its relationship to the concepts of spacetime, and possible directions for experimental and theoretical researches. Since the understanding of spacetime is extremely important, we expect further experimental evidence to support or falsify OPERA result, and improve our knowledge of spacetime.%物理学对于时间与空间的理解，是推动其发展的重要因素。而现代物理学的根基，则是建立在爱因斯坦的相对论时空观上的。最近，OPERA合作研究组却发现了存在超光速中微子的可能性．倘若其被证实，将是对相对论时空观的一次重大挑战。本文从实验发现，可能的理论解释，人们对于时空观的认识等方面入手，较为客观地讨论了OPERA的实验结果，指出了其可能的实验与理论的研究方向。由于对于时空观的认识是个极其重要的过程，所以我们期待更多的实验来证实或者证伪OPERA超光速中微子的结果，从而推动物理学对于时空观的认识。