According to Einstein’s special relativity , a massive object cannot reach the speed of light (c). As its velocity approaches (c), its relativistic energy increases enormously: E = γmc², where γ = 1/√(1 − v²/c²) When (v tends to c), γ → ∞, so an infinite amount of energy would be required to reach (c). Light can travel at (c) because photons have zero rest mass. Key idea : A massive object can approach the speed of light, but can never reach it.