According to prevailing theories in Physics, the speed of light, denoted by ‘c’ is a universal constant. It means that it is intrinsically related to the very nature of the universe. We exist because we are the culmination of almost fourteen billion years of conformation to this value by every single one of the atoms in the universe. So what I am about to write is pure conjecture. The consequences of the minutest change in ‘c’ will lead to fundamental reformation of the universe and even a Dumbledore/Voldemort/Gandalf/Chuck Norris mutant wouldn’t be able to prevent you from not existing.
Having placated any fundamentalists out there,let us imagine then that the speed of light increases exponentially one fine morning but the change strangely refuses to harm the wise homos on planet earth. Let us also exercise tradition and ignore the fact that the universe is literally falling apart. Now then,
1. David Blaine would become homeless
If you don’t know who he is, I salute your choice of TV content. But for the sake of this article, let me explain: he is a illusionist who sometimes does levitation tricks. Why would he go out of a job? Because everyone could levitate if light was really fast. You would still not hold a candle to Superman but you would be able to fly in a very crude sense. That’s because the speed of light is directly related to the electromagnetic force. It is the force that repels the atoms of the earth and your body from merging together. So if the speed of light increased, that force of repulsion would increase and stuff would literally start to levitate.
2. You would become really hot and World Peace will be in jeopardy
That’s it, that’s it. Don’t get your hopes up. I meant literally. And the ‘and’ was not intended to indicate causality. It was more in the flavor of: a goat and a microwave. Anyways, a greater electromagnetic force would mean that chemical/nuclear reactions would become more ‘vibrant’. The reactions that require lots of energy to start would need even more energy. But the ones that release energy, well lets just say if someone decides to pull another Hiroshima it would vaporize the earth’s atmosphere. Back to hotness, so the human body also burns up chemicals for energy. And that burning up is exothermic. And it would be so vigorous that you would feel as if you are on fire. The up side is that you wouldn’t ever feel cold again.
3. Dragon Ball fans will have a field day and Master Chief will lose his edge
Okay, just ignore everything but the fist.
With your body’s chemical burning being so over-productive, your muscles will become really powerful. You will be able to run faster, jump higher and strike with lightning speed. And the increased repulsive forces between you hands and the air molecules will allow you to create a shock-wave of awesomeness with every punch in the air.
4. Star trek will reboot as a reality show
The enthusiasm of exothermic reactions will also apply to fuel. Cars (or perhaps levitation pods) will become very fuel efficient. So will rockets, thus reducing cost of space travel. You could actually go to mars on the same fuel that you now use to go to your grandma (who incidentally might be moonlighting as a ninja, given the circumstances). Whats even better is that you could reach and even exceed the old speed of light using conventional means. So interstellar travel will become a very possible possibility.
5. But in reality…
Stars wouldn’t exist. Nuclear fusion, the process that runs stars, happens when two atoms over come their repulsion and fuse to release energy. But then the repulsion will be so high that atoms wouldn’t even want to come close to one another. Since there will be no stars, there will be no supernovas that release heavier elements (including carbon) into the universe. Had the speed of light been faster since the big bang, we would not even have existed. There would be no black holes since the speed of light will be too large to be captured by the gravity-well of any body. So any dreams we might have of making a shortcut through space time to achieve time travel or actual FTL communications will be quashed.
I’ll end with an awesome limerick:
There was an old lady called Wright
who could travel much faster than light.
She departed one day
in a relative way
and returned on the previous night.
Astronomy 