I read a thought provoking article recently. In 1991, an array of detectors in Nevada detected a proton colliding with the Earth’s atmosphere. The observed energy released from this event suggested that the proton was travelling 2.9999999999999999999999853×10^8 metres per second; almost the speed of light.

http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/ohmygodpart.html

The calculations also reveal that if a human could hitch a ride on this proton, this is how long it would /appear/ to that traveler to reach these locations:

Alpha Centauri – 0.43 milliseconds
Galactic nucleus – 3.2 seconds
Andromeda galaxy – 3.5 minutes
Virgo cluster – 1.15 hours
Quasar 3C273 – 3 days
Edge of universe – 19 days

Observations suggest that the edge of the known universe is 17,000,000,000 light years away from Earth. That means that it would take light 17 billion years to reach the edge of the universe if it started on Earth, as measured from an observer on Earth. So, how can this proton reach it in 19 days? Remember that the faster you travel, the slower time goes (in relation to a “stationary” person).

So, if I could fly in a circle above the Earth at near the speed of light for, what would appear to be, 0.5 milliseconds, when I landed I would find that 5 years had passed on Earth. And likewise, my near-light-speed voyage to the edge of the universe would seem to take only 19 days for me, while on Earth, over 17 billion years would have passed. If I were to return from such a voyage, I would find a dead solar system. Any friends and family would have died only seconds after the start of my journey (during which thousands of years would have passed on Earth). Also, Sol, our sun, would have long since burned out, and Earth would likely be a frozen wasteland.

Amazing. Think about it.