Can You Survive Traveling at the Speed of Light?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical scenario of traveling at the speed of light and its implications for survival and experience. Participants explore concepts related to relativistic effects such as time dilation and length contraction as one approaches the speed of light, referencing science fiction narratives to illustrate these ideas.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the possibility of surviving at the speed of light, prompting a discussion about the implications of such travel.
  • Another participant asserts that beings with non-zero rest mass cannot reach the speed of light, likening the question to other hypothetical scenarios that defy physical laws.
  • Several participants suggest that a more relevant inquiry would be the effects experienced as one approaches the speed of light, mentioning length contraction and time dilation.
  • References to science fiction works, such as "Ender's Game" and "Forever War," are made to illustrate how time dilation could allow space travelers to age less than those remaining in a different reference frame during long journeys.
  • There is repetition of ideas regarding the aging of space travelers and the shortening of distances due to relativistic effects, indicating a shared interest in these concepts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the impossibility of reaching the speed of light for massive objects and the relevance of discussing relativistic effects. However, there are multiple viewpoints on how to frame the question and the implications of approaching light speed, indicating some unresolved aspects of the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the nature of mass and speed are present, and the discussion relies on interpretations of relativistic physics that may not be universally accepted. The references to science fiction may also introduce speculative elements that are not grounded in established physics.

RiseAgainst
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If you could move at the speed of light what would happen? Could you survive?
 
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Welcome to PF. :smile:

Since you and I have non-zero rest mass, it is impossible for us to move at the speed of light. So, this is akin to asking questions like "what if we could create energy from nothing?" or "what would happen if like charges attracted and opposite charges repelled?"
 
Perhaps a better question to ask is, what would happen to you as you approach closer and closer to the speed of light? All the stuff about length contraction and time dilation as v approaches c is certainly worthy of discussion.

There was a sci fi book or series -- might have been Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, but I'm not sure -- where space travel between different stars at close to the speed of light was possible. In our usual reference frame, space travellers would take decades to travel between stars, but because time slowed down for them, they would only age a few weeks or months during the journey.

In the space travellers' reference frame, time did not slow down. But, because of length contraction, the distance became much smaller between the stars at the beginning and end of their journey. To travel this shorter distance took only a few weeks or months, so that is how much time passed for them.
 
Redbelly98 said:
There was a sci fi book or series -- might have been Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, but I'm not sure -- where space travel between different stars at close to the speed of light was possible. In our usual reference frame, space travellers would take decades to travel between stars, but because time slowed down for them, they would only age a few weeks or months during the journey.

In the space travellers' reference frame, time did not slow down. But, because of length contraction, the distance became much smaller between the stars at the beginning and end of their journey. To travel this shorter distance took only a few weeks or months, so that is how much time passed for them.
Haldeman's Forever War
 
Redbelly98 said:
Perhaps a better question to ask is, what would happen to you as you approach closer and closer to the speed of light? All the stuff about length contraction and time dilation as v approaches c is certainly worthy of discussion.

There was a sci fi book or series -- might have been Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, but I'm not sure -- where space travel between different stars at close to the speed of light was possible. In our usual reference frame, space travellers would take decades to travel between stars, but because time slowed down for them, they would only age a few weeks or months during the journey.

In the space travellers' reference frame, time did not slow down. But, because of length contraction, the distance became much smaller between the stars at the beginning and end of their journey. To travel this shorter distance took only a few weeks or months, so that is how much time passed for them.

Ender's Game series is probably what he means. Same thing in Forever War, but no mention of "collapsars" in Red's post :biggrin:
 

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