What are the potential outcomes if one were to travel at the speed of light?

There is no swifter pace than that of light. Therefore, what consequences would ensue if a human were able to travel at this ultimate speed?

Assuming the possibility of a human moving at the speed of light, which is 299,792,458 meters per second (983,571,056 feet per second), or approximately 186,000 miles per second, there are certain considerations regarding the survival of the human body. While moving at a constant high speed wouldn’t pose any immediate issues, the main concern lies in the acceleration required to reach that speed. Excessive acceleration can cause severe harm and even fatality. According to Michael Pravica, a physics professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, at high accelerations, the circulation of blood to the extremities would become challenging.

Most individuals have the capacity to endure acceleration forces ranging from four to six times that of gravity (4 to 6 g) for a brief duration. As the g-force intensifies, the body’s ability to circulate blood from the feet to the head becomes restricted. Consequently, blood begins to accumulate, leading to loss of consciousness. If the force persists without diminishing or ceasing, the body will eventually succumb to death due to oxygen deprivation caused by the blood’s inability to transport it throughout the body.

Fighter pilots and individuals exposed to high g-forces are trained in techniques to prevent loss of consciousness, such as tensing their muscles in the extremities, and they utilize specialized suits to endure up to 9 g for short periods. However, if one were to accelerate to the speed of light within a few seconds, akin to the scenarios depicted in the “Star Wars” movies, the impact of over 6,000 g would swiftly transform them into a flattened human entity, as calculated by Omni Calculator’s g-force calculator.

Assuming a straight-line trajectory and no air resistance, it would take approximately five months to safely accelerate to light speed at a rate of 2 g. However, if the acceleration were reduced to 1 g, it would take over 11 months. Unfortunately, achieving such a speed is impossible due to the finite mass of objects. According to Pravica, Einstein’s theory of special relativity explains that as an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its mass increases, making it infinitely massive and requiring infinite energy to maintain that speed.

Nevertheless, scientists have managed to propel subatomic particles, like electrons, to speeds exceeding 99.9% of the speed of light using particle accelerators. However, launching a person at such speeds would be highly improbable and would demand an immense amount of energy, potentially violating the laws of physics.

If one were able to travel near light speed, the effects of relativity on time would become apparent. Time would pass more slowly for the traveler compared to those moving at everyday speeds, although their personal experience of time would remain unchanged. Pravica suggests that individuals observing someone moving at “normal” speed would perceive them to be in slow motion.

One way in which we could potentially travel close to the speed of light is by considering the constant motion of our planet and everything in the universe. Earth rotates and orbits around the sun, while our galaxy is also in motion. If we were to move rapidly away from a galaxy, and that galaxy was also moving away from us, it is conceivable that we could be traveling at a speed close to that of light relative to that galaxy. This scenario may already be happening, as Pravica pointed out, highlighting the concept of relativity demonstrated by Einstein.

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