Search Results for: what would you experience if you were going the speed of light

Q: What would you experience if you were going the speed of light?

The original question was: If I’m moving at the speed of light towards you and I throw a tennis ball at you (at, say, 5 m/s), what do you observe? Will I hit you first, the tennis ball, or both … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Mathematician, Physics, Relativity | 56 Comments

Q: What’s the point of going to the Moon?

Physicist: We imagine interplanetary spacecraft as massive, expensive rockets, but the Moon changes that.  Spacecraft built and launched from the Moon don’t have to have huge boosters; even tiny spacecraft can travel across the solar system efficiently.  We should go … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Astronomy, Engineering, Physics | 14 Comments

Q: How hard is it to build a space elevator? What’s the point?

Physicist: Right around the end of the 19th century, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (of rocket equation fame) got to thinking about how a taller version of the Eiffel tower, built on the equator, might be a good way to get things into … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Engineering, Physics | 11 Comments

Q: Does quantum mechanics really say there are other “mes”? Where are they?

Physicist: As much of a trope as “Other Quantum Worlds” has become in sci-fi, there are reasons to think that they may be a real thing; including “other yous”.  Here’s the idea. Superposition is a real thing One of the … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Philosophical, Physics, Quantum Theory, Skepticism | 33 Comments

Q: Since the Earth is spinning and orbiting and whatnot, are we experiencing time wrong because of time dilation?

Physicist: A little! The movement of Earth, as well as the Earth’s gravity, change how much time we experience compared to other objects in the universe.  If we were to occasionally compare our clocks to clocks in tight orbits around … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Astronomy, Relativity | 31 Comments

Q: If time slows down when you travel at high speeds, then couldn’t you travel across the galaxy within your lifetime by just accelerating continuously?

Physicist: Yup!  But sadly, this will never happen. This is a good news / really bad news situation.  On the one hand, it is true (for all intents and purposes) that if you travel fast enough, time will slow down … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Astronomy, Physics, Relativity | 41 Comments