We all know traveling faster than light is impossible, yet it is perhaps the most common conceit we allow a science fiction story. Fans love to quibble over minor physics infractions despite having already given warp speed a pass. And it makes sense! Traveling at 186,000 miles a second is still pig slow when the galaxy—hell, even just our solar system—is your story’s playground. To hammer that point home, go now and have a look at this amazing video on YouTube. It’s a real-time journey through our solar system at light speed—the fastest possible speed one could ever hope to go—starting from the Sun and heading straight out from there. Come back in 45 minutes when you’ve finally passed Jupiter. Have a long think about how that uneventful, languid journey is the best we can ever hope for.
[What I really love is fiction that takes FTL to the next level…]