It is commonly thought superluminal or faster-than-light physics phenomena should be excluded from mainstream physics and considered an exotic subject to be confined at most to science fiction, since their existence should be in contrast with the predictions of currently accepted main physical theories. On the other hand, several theoretical and experimental results collected during the last decades (like those related, for example, to hypothetical tachyons, astrophysical quasars, anomalous dispersion in material media, quantum tunneling of single photons or e.m. fields, and quantum entanglement) gave founded evidence of the occurrence of superluminal processes. Unfortunately, the study of such phenomena has been often compromised by misleading analyses, scientific prejudices and/or misunderstandings, preventing a balanced and in-depth assessment. This discourages the realization of further experimental and theoretical examinations. In this book, the authors explored these possibilities by adopting an open mind and rigorous approach. Some of the most intriguing and fascinating aspects of superluminal phenomena physics by describing and discussing, from a radically new standpoint related to the picture of QED coherence in matter, a series of theoretical explorations probing the possibility that superluminal particles and fields actually exist were proposed. In particular, they also considered the hypothesis according to which the higher performance capabilities of the human brain, including consciousness, could be explained from the standpoint of quantum computation, invoking superluminal particles like tachyons. As shown in this monograph, superluminal fields and particles emerging from quantum vacuum coherent dynamics could be responsible for new types of physical process, providing new and valuable insights into the fields of fundamental physics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics, cosmology and biophysics. Additionally, superluminal fields indicate the need for an honest and deep revision of the currently accepted framework of theoretical and applied physics, as well as historically well-established scientific knowledge.

About the Author

Luigi Maxmilian Caligiuri (born in 30th of November 1972) is an Italian Physicist. He received laurea magna cum laude in theoretical Physics from University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy in 1995. He has started his research and teaching activity at University of Calabria at Faculties of Sciences and Engineering in several fields of theoretical and applied sciences. From 2001 he is full professor of Physics and, from 2013, also the director of the Foundation of Physics Research Center (FoPRC) in Italy, an independent research organization devoted to advanced research in Physics. He has published several scientific papers in peer-reviewed international journals of physics and engineering in the fields of theoretical physics, acoustics, biophysics, electromagnetic fields and material sciences. He is editorial board member of numerous international journals related to theoretical and applied physics. His most recent interests relate to coherent quantum field theory and its application to different fields - from fundamental physics to cosmology and brain mechanism - to superluminal physics and to the study of consciousness and mind mechanism from the standpoint of quantum mechanics. He also conducts scientific popularization activity by writing essays in magazines and participating to TV programs.