Matter & energy are 2 aspects of the same entity. Electromagnetic phenomena ocurring in space & filling its emptiness.

Matter is made of atoms, these in turn consist of two phases of electromagnetic waves. The foundation of all material is the hydrogen atom. A single rotating positive wave (proton) as its nucleus, with a single negative wave (electron) in orbit. In this context the terms 'positive' & 'negative' are essentially arbitrary. Based on a mistaken assumption by Benjamin Franklin.

Waves of the same phase or polarity repel one another. Those of opposite phase attract.

The frequencies of these waves are very high & are related to but not the same as their spin rates. The next atom up, in terms of complexity, is that of helium. This has two protons in its nucleus, with two orbiting electrons. The nucleus also contains two (usually) neutrons. These prevent the protons from repelling one another & hence keep the atom stable.

The neutron is a close coupled proton/electron pair, a collapsed hydrogen atom. It has no obvious phase, or polarity. Tight coupling causes the waves' external influence to cancel.

The proton, electron & neutron were once though to be particles. Distinct from energy. A strange branch of physics still believes that, despite the evidence. It is called 'Quantum Mechanics' & includes such oddities as the 'uncertainty principle'. Adherents even believe energy is particles. The 'graviton', a mythical particle responsible for gravitational attraction, is especially weird.

Particle physicists have discovered a number of other particles, during high energy nuclear collision experiments. It is likely that these are mere momentary artifacts, the breaking up of waves, which almost immediately reform. Just chips of paint off the fabric of matter.

Energy, like matter, consists of waves, with suitable provocation one can become the other. The principle of conservation states that the sum of matter & energy in the universe is comstant. The relative proportions can change however.

As an example take a battery, connected via two wires of length (L) to a suitable light bulb. Chemical energy stored in the battery sets up an EMF at its terminals. Energy current flows through the dielectric between the wires at the speed of light (c). This current consists of electrons, disassociated from their atoms by chemical activity.

After a time (L/c), energy reaches the lamp & it lights. Dissipating energy as heat & light. Electrons return to the battery, rejoining atoms. This process continues, until the connection is broken or the chemical energy in the battery is exhausted.

During the time electrons are 'flowing' they are energy, waves travelling through space, at the speed of light. When back home they are part of matter again. This description is a hybrid of old & new theory. Further on, the reality will be clarified.

To be continued.

The speed of light (c), the universal variable.

Much of scientific thought is based on assumptions, old or new. Much of the remainder is based on conjecture, recent or early.

The speed of light in a vacuum has long been considered to be a constant. Much effort has been expended, over the centuries, in measuring it, using incresingly sophisticated techniques. It is now generally considered that its value is known, to a high degree of precision.

Physicists are so confident of the accuracy with which they can measure c, that now the length of the metre is specified in terms of it. As the distance travelled by light in 1/ 299,792,458th of a second. This of course is a circular definition, akin to the length of the proverbial piece of string. I will explain this later.

There are anomalies, in many areas of study, that bring current knowledge & values into doubt.

My solution to many of these problems is simple. The speed of light is not a constant, it is a variable. The only thing constant about it is that it is constantly varying. The principle of Ockham's Razor is that unnecesary compliction should be avoided. If a number of possible explanations fit the facts, the simplest is more likely to be correct.

Why should the speed of light be 299,792,458 metres per second? Why should it not be some other value? How can such an important parameter be cast in tablets of stone, at some arbitrary value, for ever? In fact this number is a purely human construct, I will elaborate on this soon.

To be continued.

Ivor Catt. Electromagnetism & The Catt Anomaly. A fresh look at reality.