My experience of internet discussions gives me the impression that many people are depressed or reluctant to accept the light speed limit because of apparent limits in places on space exploration. Were many/any similar concerns expressed by back when Einstein first put forward the notion?

by grapp

my experience of internet discussions gives me the impression that many people are depressed or reluctant to accept the light speed limit because of apparent limits in places on space exploration

a few years back I remember when some, likely faulty, results at CERN suggested particles had moved faster than light. I saw more than one comment stream started by someone expressing delight at the idea

jeffbell

Einstein's paper on special relativity was published in September of 1905. In contrast the first airplane flight in Europe was still over a year away.

Then (as now) it was not really a practical limitation. It was only an issue in matters of speculative fiction.