A theoretical particle that travels faster than light, the tachyon has long intrigued physicists and fueled decades of speculation. Initially conceived as a possible solution to quantum and relativity paradoxes, tachyons remain purely hypothetical. Despite the lack of experimental evidence, they continue to serve as a thought-provoking concept in modern physics.

A recent study by an international team of researchers has reignited interest in tachyons, suggesting they might be possible within the framework of Einstein’s special theory of relativity. This bold claim challenges conventional understandings of causality and time, raising fundamental questions about the structure of reality. If confirmed, it could lead to a radical shift in how scientists perceive the limits of physical laws.

Physicist Gerald Feinberg introduced the idea of tachyons in 1962, proposing that such particles could always travel faster than light without ever slowing down to subluminal speeds. His argument was based on the concept of imaginary mass, a theoretical construct involving the square root of a negative number. This allowed for the mathematical possibility of faster-than-light motion without explicitly violating relativity.