Lets Try To Travel Faster Than Light

The most basic thing in physics and astronomy we all have known from years is the speed of light which is 3*10⁸ m/s. The speed of light was tried to calculate from the time of Galileo. Galileo tried to calculate the speed of light in 1968 with the help of his assistant by placing covering and uncovering the lamps held by both of them at some distance. Galileo was only able to deduce that light travels at least 10 times faster than sound. Then after Galileo, many other experiments were carried out to calculate the speed of light. In 1862, French physicist Foucault modified the Fizeau's method of calculation of speed of light and calculated the speed to be 2.98*10⁸ m/s. In 1926, Nobel Prize winner in physics, Albert Abraham Michelson calculated the speed of light from Michelson's method to be 2.997*10⁸ m/s. Today the speed of light is adopted to be 3*10⁸ m/s.

Then the great scientist of all time, Albert Einstein published the "Theory of Relativity" which explained the speed of light can never be crossed by any matter. Since then the speed of light is considered as the ultimate speed anything can travel in this universe. However, several theories and ideas have been purposed to go faster than light or make the light to travel in speed greater than its own speed (although they may not be correct but are convincing). So let's discuss each of the ideas in brief.

1. Laser Light Across The Moon's Diameter

Let's take a sharp beam of laser light that can reach moon's surface from the surface of earth. Now, we move the laser light across the diameter of moon fast enough so that the velocity crosses the speed of light. The mean diameter of moon is 3476 km according to the latest data provided by NASA on June 2014. So, for reaching the speed of light, we just have to wave our hand across the surface of moon in time 0.01159 sec which is not so difficult if tried. Actually, we can not only reach but be 20-50 times faster than light by the same process. But did we really made laser to travel faster than the speed of light? Actually NO, WE DIDN'T!! We just made an image or teleport of the laser to travel faster than light. No any matter or the photon particle or any message traveled faster than light. Same is the answer for moving a shadow.

2. Turning ON the Headlights of a Car Travelling at the Speed of Light

Most of the people have this question popping in their head "What would happen when we turn on the headlights of a car that is made to travel at the speed of light? Would the light travel in double the speed of light? Or the headlights would not turn on as if light is stuck inside?" Well its a matter to think but not to them who understands the Theory of Relativity properly which says "Time is Relative". First of all, it is not possible to make anything that has mass to travel at the speed of light. But let us suppose we made a car from something that has no mass and made it travel in the speed of light. Now, at this point, according to Special Theory of Relativity, anything that has mass when starts to speed up, the time starts to slow down for them. We can see in movies like Interstellar, the father and child of the same age. Now, in our case, the driver of the car at the speed of light, the speed is ultimate, so he feels like the car is at rest. Thus, he sees the lights coming out of the headlights. However, for us, as we are at rest viewing the car from outside, light wont come out of the headlight. Two different person inside and outside of the car see different things. Its not always what we see right?

3. Getting High Enough so that Earth's Rotation moves the End in Speed of Light

As I already discussed in my earlier article What is the speed of Earth? about how earth moves and the speed at which the earth spins, we can build a long tube possibly of nano-tube because of its high strength. Lets make it long enough that the tip of the tube moves through the space at the velocity of light. You may be wondering how long the tube should be. But is it even possible to do that? Lets find out.

If we only considered the rotation of the earth (leaving rest of the movement of earth as discussed in What is the speed of Earth? ), then

Circumference = Velocity * Time = (3 * 10⁸ m/s) * (24 * 60 *60 s)
                                                    = 25.92 * 10¹² m

Diameter = Circumference / pi = (25.92 * 10¹² m) / 3.14
                                                 = 8.25 * 10¹² m

Now, first thing, the more distance you get away from a rotating body, the more force you experience and the more mass is required to hold the body. However, the nano tubes are not strong enough to hold this amount of force. And lets say, in near future, we built any technology or matter that is strong enough to hold this force, then there is still another problem waiting for us and i.e. this distance is beyond Sun.

Thus, speed of light is ultimate speed in our universe although how much we try to cross it. So did I miss any of the ways to cross the speed of light? Do you know any other ways to cross the speed of light? Please let me know in the comment below.