Why we can't reach the speed of light?

glennmac · Sep 8, 2001

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

Here is an interesting site that summarizes 21 "trivial" ways in which the speed of light can be exceeded:

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/FTL.html

oombala · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

what exactly is the speed pf dark ?

Anonymous Poster · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

who flipping cares?

patrickg · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

Say, Hay. Apparently several folks cared as the thread had several thoughtful contributors. Seemingly there has been a resurgence of interest, there having been two additional posts made recently (yours included). Considering the post is about a year old and has been dormant for quite a while I was surprised at the renewed interest both comical and critical.

I suggest you take up censorship issues with a moderator or the forum owner, I'm just enjoying myself and the great folk found in these parts.

Have a nice day.

Patrick

Boondox · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

<font color=blue>
who flipping cares? </font color=blue>

Another case for registration...

Pete

patrickg · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

OOMBALA, Not too much has been written regarding the SOD. My first guess is that it is the same as the SOL since dark is just a place where light isn't. As light comes into a space, dark must retreat at precisely the speed that light enters at and likewise as light leaves, darkness arrives at exactly the same rate. Ever see a place without light that didn't have dark?

Just curious, did you notice that the original post that started this thread was nearly a year old? Also, I wasn't sure if "hay" was complaining about this thread in general or specifically about your post regarding the speed of dark.

Patrick

Mike_Dumond · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

Well, I had nothing better to do this morning, so I read through this whole thread. Hopefully, after the medication and counseling, my mind will return to a somewhat normal state. Hopefully. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

My .02, why do we have to believe that these 'scientists' have any idea of what they are trying to say. Has anyone seen or travelled through a worm hole? Have you seen or got your tractor stuck in a black hole? (OK, maybe you have got stuck in a black hole. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif)

The one constant in these discussions, (which have been going on longer than tractor debates), is that when limits are prescribed, they are usually found to be wrong. And science usually back-peddles trying to keep up with common sense. Their thinking is usually along the lines of "If I can't do it, then it can't be done".

My philosophy is "Never say never". And as for the speed of light question, I have proof that it can and is regularly exceeded. Just yesterday, I was moving some dirt, had the bucket high, on a 15 degree slope, trying to be very careful, when the right rear wheel came up. The pucker factor was well in excess of the speed of light. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Mike_Dumond · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

Hate to bring this up, but dark, like cold doesn't exist. So there. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

patrickg · Jun 16, 2002

Re: Why we can\'t reach the speed of light?

Mike, I'm sorry, you have inadvertently become engaged in the wrong thread. Science fact is down the hall on your right. We are discussing science fiction (science confusion?)

Of course, scientifically, cold and dark are degrees of lack of heat and light and are subjective relative descriptors that make discussions simpler sometimes.

Something that didn't come to light previously in this thread (don't you just love puns?) was that most faster than light conjectures are firmly linked to time travel. You can't get one without the other. Many folks doggedly cling to the idea, probably from watching too much sci-fi (is that possible, too much?) that time travel is attainable. OK fine, for a moment lets consider that some time in the future someone, us, them, whoever-wherever develops time travel and it becomes a much used technology. Wouldn't it be popular for many historical studies, medical reasons, investments, etc? It would be used a lot, an awful lot! So to paraphrase Stephen Hawking (and many others in the scientific community), "Where are all the time travelers?"

There is an interesting exposition on this topic in this months (July 2002) FYI in Popular Science. Interesting view... Presents the idea of a limit on time travel, the impossibility of going back to a time before your time machine was built AND explains why that makes sense.

Yeah, I recently subscribed, man cannot live solely by reference to refereed technical publications, too dry for a constant diet and I have already read the Kubota tractor manual.

Patrick