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From: gjk@talcott.UUCP (Greg J Kuperberg)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: (Re:)* Faster than Light
Message-ID: <183@talcott.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Dec-84 13:25:36 EST
Article-I.D.: talcott.183
Posted: Wed Dec 12 13:25:36 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Dec-84 06:40:02 EST
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Organization: Harvard
Lines: 19

> If I recall correctly, Einstein's equations say that the speed of light
> represents a barrier that cannot be _crossed_, i.e. it isn't possible to
> accelerate an object from a velocity below c to one above c (this isn't my
> area of expertise, so maybe someone can correct me if I'm mistaken)...
> -- 
> Saumya Debray

This is a common notion, and somewhat inaccurate.  c is not some kind of
speed limit for which you get arrested for breaking, or that your ship
breaks down if you try to cross it.  Rather, Einstein reformulated the idea
of motion, so that c is analogous to infinite speed.  Thus moving faster
than c is like outrunning your own shadow.  Rather than being a
barrier, it is "the point at infinity."
---
			Greg Kuperberg
		     harvard!talcott!gjk

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system
of government."  -Monty Python