According to our current understanding of physics, matter with mass cannot reach or exceed the speed of light in a vacuum. This knowledge is based on experimental observations and the theoretical framework of special relativity developed by Albert Einstein.
One of the fundamental tenets of special relativity is that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant and is the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion. This principle has been extensively tested and confirmed through numerous experiments and observations.
We have directly measured the speeds of particles and objects in accelerators and other experiments, and none of them have been observed to travel at speeds equal to or greater than the speed of light. These experiments consistently support the predictions of special relativity.
As particles with mass approach the speed of light, their energy and momentum increase, making it increasingly difficult to accelerate them further. To reach the speed of light would require an infinite amount of energy, which is not feasible.
While particles such as photons (particles of light) and certain elementary particles like neutrinos can indeed travel at the speed of light, they are considered massless or nearly massless.
In summary, based on experimental evidence, our current understanding of physics, and the theory of special relativity, matter with mass cannot reach speeds equal to or greater than the speed of light in a vacuum.