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From: recovert@ihuxf.UUCP (recovert)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Could someone explain why FTL is illegal?  In small words?
Message-ID: <2460@ihuxf.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 5-Nov-84 15:24:37 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxf.2460
Posted: Mon Nov  5 15:24:37 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Nov-84 05:20:55 EST
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Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
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<----->>>>
FTL is impossible due to the following:
1) As your velocity increases, your mass also increases. As you approach
   the speed of light (SOL), your mass approaches infinity. At the SOL,
   your mass would be infinite. Since, your mass can not be infinite,
   you can not reach the SOL. Since you cann't reach the SOL, you
   can not exceed the SOL.
2) Since you mass increases with your speed, the energy required to
   accelerate also increases. Since (1) says that your mass approaches
   infinity, therefore the energy required would also approach infinity.
3) As your velocity approaches the SOL, the time elapsed between your
   world (i.e. your spaceship) and the outside world increases. As the
   SOL no time would elapse in your ship while infinite time would
   elapse in the outside world.

	Carl Sagan had a good series on PBS (in the US anyway), that
explained the relativistic effects of moving at speeds approaching the
SOL. 

P.S. I hope that someone would someday discover a way to exceed the SOL,
but that would require refuting Einstein's theories. A possible way is
the sf-lover's hyperspace (an imaginary space/time continum where you
can exceed the SOL). But I leave that solution to the student.
-- 
Richard E. Covert (312) 979-4428 ihuxf!recovert (BTL,Indian Hill)