🚀 go-pugleaf

DonH <donlhumphries@bigpond.com> wrote:
> In Mathematics, there are negative numbers, but are these relevant to 
> Science?
...

In the "quantum" part of science there is such a thing as a "negative
probability". In "normal" probability theory (or practice, even)
when you ask about the probability of X or Y occuring, where X and Y
can not occur together, the practice is (obviosly) to add the 2
probabilities pr(X)+pr(Y).

In the quantum world it is quite possible to find that the
probability of X or Y (where X and Y can not occur together) to
be pr(X) - pr(Y).

To "see" the effect of negative probabilities at work just look
at a diffraction pattern made by light going through a pair of
closely-spaced parallel slits. (Even looking at the light between
your closely-spaced thumb and index finger from a very close
distance can give the same kind of effect; provided you can see
well enough close up).

This works down to a stream of single photons, where normally
we'd expect each  photon to go through one slit or the other
but not both.

-- 
Pseudo-scientists use randomness to obfuscate the relationship 
between theory and observation. 
-- BONZO@27-32-240-172 [pseudo-scientist & daily nymshifter], 26 Aug 2011 10:35 +1000