Not exactly “shocked”

So about this breaking the speed of light news, the faster-than-light neutrino anomaly: scientists aren’t really “shocked.” Surprised, fascinated, skeptical … but not shocked.

If true, it is very cool, and it will certainly cause a big ‘ol rethink. But when the physicists talk about being “certain” that the speed of light is an absolute speed limit, they don’t mean that there is just no possible way the universe could surprise us on this score — just that they’ve seen nothing so far (and for a long time) that would change their minds.

It’s patently obvious that we don’t entirely “get” the universe yet. ;-) Physics is obviously not done, and indeed we’re sort of overdue for a bit of a surprise. It’s rather amazing that our models have been this good for this long! Something had to give. Maybe this is it. I it is, I won’t be shocked: just dazzled, and glad I lived to see it!

Update: not true. It was an equipment glitch. D’oh!