this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2023
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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[–] lightsecond@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago

Reality travels at the speed of light.

Someone with a better understanding of physics might be able to explain this better, but as far as i understand it, according to the theory of relativity, changes in the universe are propagated at the speed of light. So there is no definitive “present” without a frame of reference.

Let’s say you observe two death stars equidistant from you, that are also moving at the same speed as you, blow up at the same time. From your frame of reference, they blew up at the same time. But from the frame of reference of each one of them, the other one blew up later. And this isn’t just a matter of perception. The change in gravity because of them blowing up would also only travel at the speed of light. This speed limit is a fundamental property of the universe.