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If the hypothetical tachyon existed, where would it possibly originate from? or is this question off the realms within the current state of physics. Also what are some ways physicist have tried to detect it, or have they at all?

AlanZ2223
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  • They would come from the same place that everything else comes from: the universe. That's simply a definition. One can model tachyons quite easily. The problem is that every reasonable model basically predicts that they are unstable, which is kind of consistent with the fact that none have ever been found. Yes, there have been serious tachyon searches and they all failed so spectacularly, that the notion has pretty much disappeared from mainstream physics. See http://physics.stackexchange.com/q/63297/. – CuriousOne Dec 31 '14 at 06:18
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    so do I go to the hipster physics forum for this one? – AlanZ2223 Dec 31 '14 at 06:24
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    I think this is really close to being an on topic question for this site, but it doesn't quite make it. (Which is why I closed it at first, then reconsidered; I do think it should be put on hold if it isn't edited first, but I'm not going to do that unilaterally.) To make this on topic, you'd have to refer to some physical theory that allows tachyons to exist and says something about where they come from; or, it should also be okay to ask whether there are any serious theories proposing a process by which tachyons could be created. – David Z Dec 31 '14 at 06:25
  • I think tachyons are a serious aspect of theoretical and experimental physics. As far as serious theory is concerned I am thinking about possible analogues to acoustic and optical phonons with a bandgap separating the two. If a theorist can tell me that one can't make such a model relativistic, I'll take my pet model from solid state physics and bury it, of course. On the experimental side it's unavoidable to do serious searches for all kinds of unusual particles, tachyons included. I think the topic has simply been superseded (for now) by more interesting stuff like neutrino masses. – CuriousOne Dec 31 '14 at 06:36
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    I vote for a pair-production of tachyon and anti-tachyon out of the vacuum energy; but not in any seriousness. Alternatively, just turn on the TachyonFieldGenerator over at the Engineering Deck Console (says Jean-Luc) – Carl Witthoft Dec 31 '14 at 13:48
  • You'll have to say which tachyon you are thinking about - it is a generic name given to any FTL/negative mass particle in any theory, hence it is currently unclear what you're asking. – ACuriousMind Dec 31 '14 at 15:02
  • Well, I was not aware that tachyons came in different flavors. Also with respect to the neutrino's mass what implications does it have? – AlanZ2223 Dec 31 '14 at 15:57

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