InsaneCommander

50% of light speed is alot. So it might not reduce too much, but it would certainly happen. Specially if you consider collisions in the way there. Even a small fragment would hit the ship as a bullet or worse.

Exactly. Everything wants to follow a geodesic (a straight line in curved space) and Earth is pulling your geodesic inside it. I think this is the best explanation I've seen so far:

This Hacked Coffee Maker Demands Ransom and Demonstrates a Terrifying Implication About the IoT

STD in a nutshell. Being hand waived away implies an intention. I think the writers won't even notice it.

Dexter Revival Ordered at Showtime; Michael C. Hall Returning for 10-Episode Limited Series

I had to go back and listen again because I could swear he said something else at 3:56...

Yes, some scientists even think they are aliens. Edit: link not working.

I don't know if this was posted earlier since part 1 is from last year, but they just released part 2. If you like Cosmos, you'll probably like this one too:

Book 5 is the best. Some consider it "The Empire Strikes Back" of The Expanse.