Group Speed of Caterpillars?

[dracoi]

All I know is that you people are responsible for a very disturbing series of nightmares last night.

In the dream, cheetahs learned how to run stacked like caterpillars. So they could now chase down cars on the highway, jump into open car windows and eat the occupants. Good luck trying to outrun a bunch of stacked cheetahs who can do 90 mph.

[ZenBeam]

@Chronos

All I know is, the group velocity of caterpillars is less than their phase velocity, and both are less than c.

Their phase velocity could be greater than c, but information travels at the group velocity, not the phase velocity, so it doesn’t violate relativity. [/reflexive answer]

[Chronos]

Yeah, but these are caterpillars we’re talking about. I remain confident that both are less than c.

[Ethilrist]

@LSLGuy

No. The bottom caterpillars are standing on a layer(s?) of caterpillar mites living on the soles of the caterpillars’ feet.

Don’t ask me what the mites are standing on.

Perhaps they’ll die.

[Richard_Pearse]

@dracoi

All I know is that you people are responsible for a very disturbing series of nightmares last night.

In the dream, cheetahs learned how to run stacked like caterpillars. So they could now chase down cars on the highway, jump into open car windows and eat the occupants. Good luck trying to outrun a bunch of stacked cheetahs who can do 90 mph.

So, a pillar of cats?

[Senegoid]

@Chronos

All I know is, the group velocity of caterpillars is less than their phase velocity, and both are less than c.

“c” being the velocity of similarly charged caterpillars in a vacuum?