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Monday, May 26, 2025

Ultimately, why doesn't light wear out and lose energy over time?

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Feed: "ScienceAlert" By: Jarred Roberts, The Conversation on Sunday, May 25, 2025

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-- Longtail News (@longtail.news) May 26, 2025 at 11:20 AM

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More from the article ...

... Her curiosity triggered a thought-provoking conversation about light. Ultimately, why doesn't light wear out and lose energy over time?
Let's talk about light

I am an astrophysicist, and one of the first things I learned in my studies is how light often behaves in ways that defy our intuitions. ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-26 12:12 AM | Reply

I don't think the inverse square law works in space?

#2 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-05-26 12:15 AM | Reply

@#2

Yeah, regardless of my current opinions and views.

When I read that article, and her question, I had to take a step back.

Such an insightful question.

So much to learn.



#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-26 12:34 AM | Reply


I don't think the inverse square law works in space?
#2 | POSTED BY REDIAL

It does, you just don't understand the law. Inverse square law just implies that as the light (many photons) spreads out over a larger area, and the same amount of energy is distributed across that area, resulting in a reduction of intensity.

What Cristina is discussing is a single photon, which makes sense as the photons "spread" out over distance (light) the intensity is decreases but energy is the same. But the photon doesn't lose energy, just the distance between photons is greater thus the intensity decreases.

#4 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-05-26 12:56 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

So much to learn.

With your inability to grasp even the most obvious of statements, Good Luck!

#5 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-05-26 12:57 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Always nice to have imalumpertoo drop by with his usual "Nuh-Uh!!".

#6 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-05-26 01:00 AM | Reply

@#6 ... Always nice to have imalumpertoo drop by with his usual "Nuh-Uh!!". ...

I view those as a badge of honor on my comments.

An implicit NW flag. :)

#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-26 01:06 AM | Reply

Spiritualized - Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space (1997)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
[Intro]
Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space

[Loop]
All I want in life's a little bit of love
To take the pain away
Getting strong today
A giant step each day

All I want in life's a little bit of love
To take the pain away
Getting strong today
A giant step each day
...

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-26 01:12 AM | Reply

Lamp, did you ever listen to Spacemen 3?

#9 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-05-26 01:33 AM | Reply

A photon loses energy when it encounters a particle (e.g., absorption and scattering). That would not happen in a perfect vacuum. However, there's no place that a perfect vacuum exists.

#10 | Posted by TrueBlue at 2025-05-26 05:16 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

No mass, no problem.

#11 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-05-26 10:57 AM | Reply

No mass, no mas.

#12 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-05-26 01:02 PM | Reply

"#4 | Posted by oneironaut"

What is your take on the electric universe theory?

#13 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-05-26 10:51 PM | Reply

However, there's no place that a perfect vacuum exists.

#10 | POSTED BY TRUEBLUE

While that may be true the universe is still mostly empty space. We are all mostly empty space.

Turns out Nothing Matters. A lot. Without Nothing there would be no place for MATTER to exist in.

Also light does lose energy. Because the universe is expanding spacetime is expanding. And light is just electromagnetic energy (sometimes acts like a wave sometimes a particle depending on your frame of reference and how you look at it) so it shifts to red as space time stretches. But the white light you see made across without encountering anything that would scatter it or cause it to lose energy. You, of course, just don't see the light that did not make it. Though there are other forms of electromagnetic energy you still can "see" thru the particles of dust like radio waves and microwaves etc.

#14 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-05-27 12:28 PM | Reply

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