Are Relativistic Weapons Realistic?

Jun 9, 2026

Could you build a relativistic bullet? In theory, yes. In practice, the acceleration, power demand, and atmospheric effects are so absurd that your β€œbullet” becomes exotic gravel long before it becomes a useful weapon.

A one-kilogram slug at 10% light speed carries roughly 108 kilotons of TNT, but firing it from a railgun would require power levels far beyond modern civilization. Relativistic guns probably are not realistic β€” but relativistic kill missiles might be.

#science #space #physics #scifi #futurism #relativity

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