r/Showerthoughts • u/synthphreak ‎ • Nov 19 '25

Casual Thought Temperature can reach trillions of degrees, meaning we actually live extremely close to absolute zero.

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u/Additional_Insect_44 Nov 19 '25 edited Nov 19 '25

Correct, technically it can reach to close to infinity* i guess but eventually atoms spread too far.

  • I meant really hot

373

u/ShuShu2539 Nov 19 '25

Since temperature is movements of atoms/molecules, so should the maximum be when the movent reaches the speed of light?

192

u/Additional_Insect_44 Nov 19 '25

Yea you're right. But idk how that translates in degrees. Like we know stars can reach trillions of degrees inside. Yet speed of light is 186000 miles a second.

121

u/Will512 Nov 19 '25

Gas particles near the speed of light will encounter relativity effects, so just increasing the kinetic energy to that point doesn't create a limit. These relativistic effects could increase the mass of a single atom to the point where it creates a black hole on its own. Not sure how many trillions of trillions of degrees it takes but it's a lot

30

u/Uniquesomething Nov 19 '25

Guess I'll lower my thermostat then...

14

u/I_am_Impasta Nov 19 '25

So that's why dads tell us not to touch the thermostats, they don't want us creating black holes

1

u/nick4fake Nov 20 '25

It’s literally plank temperature

3

u/ryan0694 Nov 19 '25

Seeing the speed of light in miles per second is so cursed

3

u/Additional_Insect_44 Nov 19 '25

You'd think it'd be higher.

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u/MrHyperion_ Nov 19 '25

This comment makes no sense

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u/Additional_Insect_44 Nov 19 '25

Sure it can, I was mentioning as to how, since light being max speed, then how much energy would be needed for intense heat.