A discovery in the last week has

turned physics on its head

.

A team of scientists have said that they recorded subatomic particles called neutrinos travelling faster than light. No-one thought that was possible.

It is a finding that could

overturn

one of Einstein's long-accepted

fundamental

laws of the Universe.

The finding was made by researchers at Cern in Switzerland and Gran Sasso in Italy.

The speed of light is a

cornerstone

in Einstein's theory of special relativity, which is what gives us the concept of causality: causes

precede

effects.

Among the implications of this challenge to mainstream theory is the fact that it could mean time travel is possible, a

hypothesis

that has long convinced writers of science fiction.

But the experiment has its sceptics.

A physicist from the University of Surrey, Jim Al-Khalili, believes that the current consensus is correct and that the light-speed barrier is impossible to

surpass

.

He has tried to

pick holes

in the methodology of the Cern researchers. So sure is Al-Khalili that they have made an error in their measurements that he has decided to

defend

the laws of physics by challenging the laws of social convention.

Al-Khalili said: "If the Cern experiment proves to be correct... I will eat my boxer shorts on live TV."