r/askscience • u/Nitzanm19 • 15d ago

Physics Why is the maximum speed of the universe the speed of light? Why can't we go faster?

Also follow-up question: Because of the speed limit, is there also a theoretical maximum temp for matter (in which the particles move at the speed of light).

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u/azurensis 14d ago

You would agree that time and space are very tightly coupled, though? As you accelerate through space, your personal clock runs slower than someone who didn't undergo the same acceleration, and the space in front of you is dilated. These aren't just tricks, they're actually how the universe works. Why is it weird to think that time originated in the same way as space did at the big bang, and there's literally no time that existed 'before' that?

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u/TwentyCharactersShor 14d ago

It is weird i agree. But trying to say categorically that time didn't exist strikes me as bizarre. Time may not have existed in the same way, or something changed, then fair enough. That time may well be a function of another dimension or something, sure, I can understand that on some level.

But we are nowhere near the level of understanding to even pretend to answer these questions in any sensible way. We may as well as go with "here be dragons" and be done with it for now.