Epigraph

God is the Light of the heavens and earth. His Light is like this: there is a niche, and in it a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, a glass-like a glittering star, fueled from a blessed olive tree from neither east nor west, whose oil almost gives light even when no fire touches it––light upon light––God guides whoever He will to his Light; God draws such comparisons for people; God has full knowledge of everything. (Al Quran 24:35)

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times

In the realm of physics, contemplating the perspective of an observer traveling alongside a photon—essentially moving at the speed of light—presents intriguing challenges. According to Einstein’s theory of special relativity, the speed of light in a vacuum is the ultimate speed limit, unattainable by any object with mass. Photons, the fundamental particles of light, are massless, allowing them to travel at this constant speed.

In the realm of physics, particularly within Einstein’s theory of relativity, the concept of an observer “sitting on a photon” presents intriguing challenges. Photons, the fundamental particles of light, travel at the speed of light (approximately 299,792,458 meters per second) in a vacuum. According to special relativity, as an object with mass accelerates toward the speed of light, its relativistic mass increases, requiring ever-greater energy to continue accelerating. This relationship implies that reaching the speed of light would necessitate infinite energy, rendering it unattainable for massive objects. Space

Special relativity posits that the speed of light is constant and invariant, meaning all observers, regardless of their relative motion, measure light traveling at the same speed. This constancy leads to significant effects, such as time dilation and length contraction, for objects approaching light speed. Pressbooks

Considering an observer moving alongside a photon introduces paradoxes within the framework of relativity. At light speed, time would theoretically stand still, and spatial dimensions along the direction of travel would contract to zero. However, these concepts apply to objects with mass; for massless photons, the conventional definitions of time and space become undefined. Therefore, envisioning an observer “sitting on a photon” falls outside the scope of current physical theories, as the experience of time and space ceases to exist in any conventional sense at light speed.

The Impossibility of Mass Traveling at Light Speed

Special relativity dictates that as an object with mass accelerates toward the speed of light, its relativistic mass increases asymptotically, requiring ever-greater energy for further acceleration. At light speed, the energy required would be infinite, rendering such acceleration physically unfeasible. Consequently, a massive observer cannot reach, let alone match, the speed of a photon. Science ABC

The Photon’s Frame of Reference

Considering a frame of reference for a photon leads to paradoxes and contradictions within the framework of relativity. In special relativity, time dilation becomes extreme as one approaches light speed; theoretically, at light speed, time would cease to progress. However, since photons are massless and always move at light speed, they do not experience time or distance in the conventional sense. Thus, assigning a rest frame to a photon is meaningless within our current physical theories.

Perceptual Implications

If, hypothetically, an observer could travel at light speed, the concepts of space and time would collapse in such a way that conventional perception would be impossible. Distances would contract to zero, and time would stand still from the observer’s perspective, eliminating any meaningful experience or observation.

Conclusion

The notion of an observer traveling alongside a photon serves as a thought experiment highlighting the constraints imposed by special relativity. It underscores the unique nature of light and the fundamental limits on the behavior of matter and energy in our universe.

In summary, while photons inherently travel at the speed of light, the notion of an observer moving alongside a photon is not compatible with the principles of special relativity. Such a scenario transcends our current understanding of physics, highlighting the unique and non-intuitive nature of light and the constraints imposed by the relativistic framework.

If atheists can believe that such breathtaking and awesome universe is an accidental product, they have too much faith that I cannot match.