I am not a physicist - but I was watching a local news channel and heard a politician (Sen. Chuck Schumer) claim that green laser beams travel faster than [red] ones. All else being equal, the speed of light is the speed of light.
This was part of a segment outlining an initiative to reduce the number of incidents with lasers and aircraft. I understand that this is serious, and that there are more incidents involving green lasers than other colors - but what is the real problem, and how is vilifying green lasers an appropriate response to the underlying issue?
Links in comments.
I thought back to an adolescent me: exploring technology and gadgets - and how taking tools and toys out of young mind stifles thought and growth… At what point do we stop restricting products based upon their potential uses? Especially in a land where gun ownership is a God given right.
The thought transitioned to regulatory and political environments (specifically American - although not specifically an American problem) and how disconnected it is from technology and innovation - and in this case: basic scientific fact. It seems to me, if you are trying to keep powerful lasers out of the hands of pranksters, then regulate the power - not the color.
This disconnect extends in the arena of digital money (bitcoin), and host of digital services (Netflix, Airbnb, Uber etc). The Fed wants same day settlement and lower friction transactions - but we continue to both balk on a concise digital money strategy and disparage digital currency adoption . “The world of bit bumping up against the world of atoms” (T Kalanick) - the friction is caused by the agile and innovative digital world colliding with the real world and our laws and regulations.
Are incumbent enterprises and politicians disconnected to a point beyond hope?
How do we best forward an innovative agenda inside organizations and states on a political level?