[ExI] spaceship string theory

Lee Corbin lcorbin at rawbw.com
Thu Jul 17 21:03:23 UTC 2008


Jef writes

> Stefano wrote:
> 
>> In fact, one should infer that any object at all is bound to break as it
>> approaches c.
> 
> ... as it /accelerates/ toward c (within a particular inertial frame.)
> 
> So we needn't be concerned with, for instance, objects moving apart
> due to what we see as cosmic inflation.

Right.  One may suppose that our solar system every femto-second
becomes larger ever so slightly because of the general universe
expansion, but that this is instantly corrected by the local spacetime
curvature (i.e. the force of gravity).  This applies to *every* physical
object.  My head expands ever so slightly, but is instantly pulled back
by the forces of electrostatic attraction, despite what my detractors
think.

Though I must demur at Stefano's original

>> In fact, one should infer that any object at all is bound to break as it
>> approaches c.

Not at all.  Only a space ship that had, say, two separate engines (fore
and aft) would break.  Any ordinary object copes merely by becoming
(in our frame of reference) actually shorter.  (Note: this is *real*
shrinkage, and not merely *apparent* shrinkage.)

Lee




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