←back to thread

Time is a dimension, but not like space

(bigthink.com)
171 points belter | 5 comments | 17 Oct 24 15:29 UTC | HN request time: 0.002s | source
Show context
nyc111 ◴[20 Oct 24 04:27 UTC] No.41892855[source]▶
"This is the underlying reason why, when you move at speeds that approach the speed of light, you start to experience phenomena such as time dilation and length contraction:"

This is not even possible in pulp science fiction. In order to be able to move with the speed of light you need to transform yourself into a photon. Only a photon can move with the speed of light. Saying "close to the speed of light" changes nothing. You need to be light to move with the speed close to the speed of light. Macroscopic objects cannot move with speeds approaching light speed.

replies(6): >>41892861 #>>41892868 #>>41892919 #>>41893781 #>>41895641 #>>41900593 #
antonvs ◴[20 Oct 24 04:43 UTC] No.41892919[source]▶
You might want to look up the word “approach” in a dictionary.

> Only a photon can move with the speed of light.

Any massless particle must move at the speed of light. Gluons, the carrier of the strong force, are another example.

replies(1): >>41893020 #
1. nyc111 ◴[20 Oct 24 05:11 UTC] No.41893020[source]▶
"Any massless particle must move at the speed of light"

Does not change my argument. Human body is not a massless particle.

replies(4): >>41893312 #>>41893328 #>>41893460 #>>41894410 #
2. dcow ◴[20 Oct 24 06:19 UTC] No.41893312[source]▶
No, but it does betray your lack of formal exposure to the topic.
3. icehawk ◴[20 Oct 24 06:22 UTC] No.41893328[source]▶
And it can't move at the speed of light. It can approach the speed of light which isn't the same thing as moving at it.
4. yarg ◴[20 Oct 24 06:55 UTC] No.41893460[source]▶
Read the formula: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_factor
5. rbanffy ◴[20 Oct 24 10:29 UTC] No.41894410[source]▶
Which means you can approach the speed of light, but never travel at this speed in space.