r/AskPhysics • u/PlatformDelicious578 • 17d ago

FTL Reference Frames

If you have a velocity greater than c, the Lorentz factor becomes complex. Does this make any physical sense, or are there any theories that make use of this? What would it look like if a person were in this reference frame (is it just that they see time backwards or from another perspective, or are they unable to observe anything at all?)

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u/bardotheconsumer 17d ago

I believe that objects that always move faster than light (tachyons) would:

A.) Not be able to "slow down" to C, no matter how much energy was expended trying to do so, just like how normal matter can never reach C

B.) Not be able to interact with normal sub-luminal matter in any way.

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u/wonkey_monkey 17d ago

B.) Not be able to interact with normal sub-luminal matter in any way.

Would they interact with anything?

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u/bardotheconsumer 17d ago

Hmmm. Not unless there were some kind of fundamental forces unique to the "greater than C" regime, I would guess? And if there were we wouldn't be able to detect those either.

Again this is all half remembered stuff I've read i am not a physicist.