According to our current understanding of physics, the theoretical maximum speed for objects with mass in the universe, including on Earth, is the speed of light in vacuum, denoted as "c." In the context of special relativity, proposed by Albert Einstein, the speed of light in vacuum is considered an absolute speed limit that cannot be exceeded by any material object.
The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (or about 186,282 miles per second). This value is a fundamental constant of nature and plays a crucial role in the theory of relativity. It represents the ultimate speed at which information or energy can travel through space.
As a result, no object with mass can reach or surpass the speed of light in vacuum. As an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its energy and momentum increase significantly, requiring an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it to reach the speed of light itself. This concept is illustrated in Einstein's famous equation, E=mc², where "E" represents energy, "m" represents mass, and "c" represents the speed of light.
However, it's important to note that the limitation of objects with mass applies to their motion through space. There are other phenomena, such as the expansion of space itself during cosmic inflation, where distant objects can move away from each other at speeds faster than the speed of light. This is due to the expansion of the fabric of spacetime itself and is not considered a violation of the speed of light limit for objects within space.