# Why does mass increase the closer you get to light speed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918 "2003-08-08T21:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918/41 "2003-08-14T16:40:44Z")
**KidCharlemagne** , leave the moderating to the moderators. **Janus 20** , stop being a dick. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918/42 "2003-08-14T16:51:28Z")
“mutually masturbating self appreciation Cult” I hereby revoke my membership in the Unitarian Universalist Church. I’m joining the “Mutually Masturbating Self Appreciation Cult.” Do I get a membership card? Any dues involved? Do I need to bring my own lube? Towel? ---
**Author:** ![Janus20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Janus20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janus20)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918/43 "2003-08-15T02:25:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*This claim is refuted in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=203580). > This is completely ridiculous. First of all, it’s bleeping ovious that when two laws contradict with each other (quantum mechanics and relativity), there must be law that unifies both. That doesn’t mean we have any clue as to what that law is. > > And do you seriously think scientists have some pact to make sure we never reach the holy grail? It’s like mountain climbers saying “let’s agree never to reach the top of Mt. Everest, that way we can all continue to get funded to keep trying.” Nobody is going to agree to that, because the potential benefits from being first on the top is far, far greater. Whoever discovers the Grand Unified Theory (GUT) can live like a king for the rest of his/her life just by giving public lectures. > > Besides, the GUT is not the end of physics. It may be the end of the quest for understanding the fundamental laws of physics, but that’s only a small part of physics. Applying those laws is far more important. There are scientists who make a living by using nothing more than Newton’s Laws to explain astronomical phenomena (e.g. those working on numerical simulations of galaxies.) I myself work on trying to understand solar flares, and a GUT will not make this quest easier or meaningless. I should also note that applied science is where the money is even now - the supercollider never got built while fusion research and environmental science seem to be well funded. > > You see, even if you know the fundamental laws, it doesn’t mean it allows us to predict the behaviour of any system we want. You’d think quantum mechanics would allow us to calculate the emission spectrum of any type of ion. But the calculations involved is so complex that we still rely on measurements instead. The GUT will not solve this problem because all it does is apply a negligibly small correction to the equations. (Negligible for this particular problem, that is.) \*\* You have just committed the most cardinal scientific sin again. You have stupidly promoted QM and elastic time to the status of LAW. QM is an adopted CONVENTIONAL convenience and agreed by a tiny minority so that they could continue to publish and prosper. Relativity is an unproven idea by an immature and dissolute patent office clerk who was a constant pain in the arse to his tutor Max Plank. You see? The emmission spectrums of any type of ion are only important insofar as they keep blind and colour blind scientists off the payroll. You see again? Time relativity merged with QM convention only delivered absurdities. QM can only be made perfect with the knowledge that Diagram 2 provides and this shows that mass not time is the relativity factor. Diagram 2 was only available in March 1989. You see? PLease take a little time and think hard and stop promoting guesses to ‘LAWS’. You will only manage to disappear up your own arse. Singing Jerusalem in an ever decreasing circle spin. ---
**Author:** ![Janus20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Janus20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janus20)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918/44 "2003-08-15T02:33:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manhattan \* > \*\ ***KidCharlemagne** , leave the moderating to the moderators. > > **Janus 20** , stop being a dick. \*\* Congratulations. You now share the gold medal for THOUGHT ECONOMICS, with KidCharlemagne. ---
**Author:** ![Janus20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Janus20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janus20)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918/45 "2003-08-15T02:40:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*“mutually masturbating self appreciation Cult” > > I hereby revoke my membership in the Unitarian Universalist Church. I’m joining the “Mutually Masturbating Self Appreciation Cult.” Do I get a membership card? Any dues involved? Do I need to bring my own lube? Towel? \*\* Go just as you are. Like the Unitarian Universalist Church, they only want your head attached to an arse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-mass-increase-the-closer-you-get-to-light-speed/193918.md?page=2)