[virgil]

I thought that mass has energy only in a different state, like it’s potential energy waiting to be released.

[thackney]

http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/howtosolveit/Nuclear/Energy_of_Nuclear_Change.htm

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Exactly my thought! Mass is a different state of energy, energy congealed or whatever form they call it. Einstein said this: “Energy cannot be created nor destroyed”...Of so, then that means it ALWAYS existed. And we know mass comes from energy. If that is the case, then there is no such thing as death. How can there be? If you take infinity into the equation, eventually that energy will form into you again. The monkeys banging on a typewriter will eventually write Shakespeare.

[Boogieman]

Well one way to look at mass is that it IS potential energy, since every iota of matter contains potential energy.

[Wuli]

“I thought that mass has energy only in a different state, like it’s potential energy waiting to be released.”

Yes, you’re right.

E equals M times Csquared
and
M equals E divided by Csquared