Therefore they are not "just a theory".
There provide, among other things, that the mass of an object increases in relation to the difference between it's velocity and the velocity of light. The smaller the difference, the greater the increase in mass. As the difference approaches zero, the mass of the object approaches infinity. It would therefore take an infinite amount of energy to accelerate the mass to the velocity of light.
Argument by analogy only works some of the time.
-
RAT M say: And a fart can go right through yer pants without even making a hole !
-
Raymond say: 1) The theory of relativity does NOT forbid "faster-than-light" speed. Tachyons are possible. However the theory of relativity shows that the amount of energy to take a mass and make it go to the speed of light in a vacuum, is unbounded (what some people call "infinite").
In normal space, to take a mass and make it go faster than light would require "more-than-infinite" energy.
2) Expreiments and observations done (so far) seem to indicate that the equations of relativity are valid, even for objects that approach the speed of light.
Therefore, unless you find a way to by-pass the speed of light, it seems that the "laws of the universe" prevent an object with mass, going slower than light, to be accelerated until it becomes faster-than-light.
Equally valid (mathematically): if you were to find some object going faster-than-light, it would be impossible to make it go slower than light (it would have to release a "more-than-infinite" amount of kinetic energy, thus frying the whole univers.
Because the universe has not been fried yet, it is easy to think that it does not happen that way.
-
daniel g say: That was proven in an accelerometer,( a linear super collider)and sub atomic particles became pure energy passing the speed of light. Literally proving Einsteins theory of relativity has merit.