AFTERNOON TALK: AN ALTERNATE VISION OF THE SPEED OF LIGHT

NSW Humanists Meetup's speaker event this Sunday 12 October 2025 3-5PM at Humanist House, Chippendale will feature John August presenting alternate ideas on whether the speed of light really is an 'impenetrable barrier' in physics.

John August is a Vice-President of the Humanist Society of NSW. John is not himself a physicist, and this is not an academic paper, but comes from John's strong personal interest in alternative understandings of scientific issues. This can seem refreshing or provocative, depending on one's point of view, but our Meetup supports good-natured discussion of ideas, and we can expect an entertaining afternoon.

John will review prevailing understandings of electromagnetism, light, and the theory of relativity, then present some alternate ideas on how things might turn out differently.
John will take a look at how James Maxwell in the 1800s brought together many disparate ideas about electricity, magnetism and charges, giving us an understanding of radiation, then how Maxwell's theories had problematic seeds that Albert Einstein in the 1900s developed a fix for, incorporating the idea that the speed of light is an ultimate limit.

John will then introduce a different approach developed by the Swiss physicist Walther Ritz, a contemporary of Einstein, including some interesting experimental details. (Sadly Ritz died young in 1909, and missed the chance to participate in the physics revolutions of the 20th century.)
John will discuss whether the speed of light is the limit we thought it was, how you can take a different look at nuclear explosions, and how 'interstellar jets' (streams of gas and energy) which seem to be going faster than the speed of light - might actually BE going faster than the speed of light.

NSW Humanist Meetup is sponsored by the Humanist Society of NSW.
The HSNSW encourages honest, open conversations held in a respectful manner. Our talks present ideas that are not necessarily endorsed by the Society. We respect science and expertise, but also allow for healthy debate on issues compatible with our human values.

ABOUT HUMANISM
Humanism is a flexible, open-minded life philosophy where we explore our common humanity in an awesome world without theism (religion) and other supernatural beliefs. There is no dogma but a shared reality and an appreciation of basic human values like compassion, reason, and fairness. Humanism can be seen in the best aspects of the modern Enlightenment - secularism, science, social democracy, human rights, and human flourishing. We have a concern for the biosphere, and a delight in the world as it is - and as it could be. Our discussions respect reason, respect one another, and reject all dogmatic thinking.