Is there really nothing faster than light?

[pbuk]

It seems fast to our everyday experience but I have always been struck by how slow the speed of light is in comparison to the scale of the universe. Or on the scale of the laboratory when accurate time bases might be required across a room when lightspeed is only ~30 cm/ns.

Or in relation to modern computing: the PC I am typing this on has 6 cores each of which can multiply a 64 bit float in the time it takes light to reach my eyes from the screen.

 

[DaveC426913]

So why is it "space is expanding", not "everything is shrinking" ?

I know this isn't a serious question but still:
Occam's Razor is pretty useful here.

In the 'space is expanding' scenario, only one thing need change: spacetime.
In the 'everything is shrinking' scenario, multiple things must change - not just matter but also the speed of light.

 

[hmmm27]

What is the experimental distinction between the two?

Is there one ? (doable with current knowledge)

 

[Vanadium 50]

I am typing this on has 6 cores each of which can multiply a 64 bit float in the time it takes light to reach my eyes from the screen.

Don't sit so close to the screen. It's bad for your eyes.

 

[pbuk]

Don't sit so close to the screen. It's bad for your eyes.

Yes you are right, I had in my head that FMUL was 5 cycles but it's only 4, and again I was thinking 2.5GHz for about 2' from the screen but my new beast is much faster than that.

 

[Dale]

Is there one ? (doable with current knowledge)

There isn’t, which is why the question is pointless. It is a distinction without a difference.

 

[Keldude]

Our what ?

Might want to check your reference for the speed of light : it's considerably faster than a measly 15M km per hour.

The speed of light is 300,000 Km/sec

 

[DaveC426913]

There isn’t, which is why the question is pointless. It is a distinction without a difference.

WEl, it's not that there isn;t

The speed of light is 300,000 Km/sec

Perhaps you missed @hmmm27's post here?

 

[jbriggs444]

1,080,000,000 > 15,000,000

Still, 13% of the speed of light is scary fast.

15,000,000 is 1.4 percent of 1,080,000,000

 

[hmmm27]

15,000,000 is 1.4 percent of 1,080,000,000

Still scary fast. Thanks.

 

[bland]

Your English is fine. It's your arithmetic that's bad!

“Your calculations are correct, but your physics is atrocious.” Einstein to Lemaître.