That is the speed of light in a vacuum. That speed results from two basic constants of nature: the electrical permittivity and permeability of a vacuum. Permittivity e0 is the constant that relates the force between static electric charges to the magnitude of charge, and permeability µ0 relates the magnetic force between moving charges. When Maxwell's equations are solved for self-sustaining electric and magnetic fields, the result is an equation for a wave that travels at a velocity given by
c = √[1/e0*µ0]
which is the speed (in a vaccum) of electromagnetic radiation (light, radio waves, etc.) In brief, the speed of light results from the electrical properties of free space.
The 0 in the constants e0 and µ0 refers to free space. In other materials these constants are different, and so the speed of light is different. The speed of electromagnetic waves in any medium is
c' = √[1/e•µ]
where e and µ are the permittivity and permeability of that medium.


