How Our Perception of the World Would Change If the Speed of Light Slowed to Walking Speed

Bright Side takes a look at the speed of light and what would happen if it slowed down to the walking speed of an average pedestrian. The narrator notes that colors would be seen differently, time would be dilated, and lights would dim. The world would not be vastly different than it is now, however, humans would perceive it as such in comparison to the world we know now.

Light is the fastest-moving thing in the universe. According to Albert Einstein, nothing in the universe can travel faster than light. But what happens if the speed of light was reduced to your walking speed? How would we live if the speed of light was much slower than we’re used to?

The MIT Game Lab has developed A Slower Speed of Light, a first-person video game where players can experience these effects through gradual reductions in the speed of light.

…players navigate a 3D space while picking up orbs that reduce the speed of light in increments. A custom-built, open-source relativistic graphics engine allows the speed of light in the game to approach the player’s own maximum walking speed. Visual effects of special relativity gradually become apparent to the player, increasing the challenge of gameplay.