What is Time travel: Definition and 344 Discussions

Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a widely recognized concept in philosophy and fiction, particularly science fiction. The idea of a time machine was popularized by H. G. Wells' 1895 novel The Time Machine.It is uncertain if time travel to the past is physically possible. Forward time travel, outside the usual sense of the perception of time, is an extensively observed phenomenon and well-understood within the framework of special relativity and general relativity. However, making one body advance or delay more than a few milliseconds compared to another body is not feasible with current technology. As for backward time travel, it is possible to find solutions in general relativity that allow for it, such as a rotating black hole. Traveling to an arbitrary point in spacetime has very limited support in theoretical physics, and is usually connected only with quantum mechanics or wormholes.

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  1. Ivan Seeking

    The Iron Dragon and a day of time travel.

    "The Iron Dragon" and a day of time travel. Last weekend Tsunami and I met my parents for a very unusual weekend that begins in the hidden mountain town of McCloud; right next to the majestic, silently sleeping, snow covered volcano called Mount Shasta, in Northern California. The day begins at...
  2. E

    Evidence of Time Travel Discovered: Source of Ancient Myths, Legends, Religions

    This news has just been released in Australia. I thought you may be interested in examining the evidence then discussing the implications, etc. Edward T > - - Evidence of Time Travel has been discovered by an Australian researcher. This evidence reveals the Source of ancient Myths...
  3. B

    Questioning Time Travel: Can We? Should We?

    Yes, i have 2 questions about time travel. - If an object exceeds the speed of light (which i think is impossible becuase e=mc^2, right?) will it travel forward or backward in time, or nothing happen. - Also, Disregarding passing the speed of light, is there any strong theories that time...
  4. S

    Real Time Travel: Dr. Mallet & His Time Machine

    Does anyone know whatever came of Dr. Mallet and his time machine? I've searched online, but I can't find anything more rceent than 2002, when they started to build the machine. For those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about, the professor wanted to use the distortion of space time...
  5. C

    Teleportation (like a StarGate) and Time travel

    I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this thread but... Are they possible? I have been watching a lot of StarGate SG-1 and other movies that deal with these two issues. First I want to know if matter can be effectively molecularized and reassambled in its original form (anything -...
  6. H

    What sorry time travel stories by writer Washington Irving in 1820

    The <<Rip Van Wirkle>> is a early time travel stories. It is sorry very. What is right to face? So sorry the time travel stories from 1820 by Washington Irving.
  7. B

    Does Time Travel Affect The Worlds Population?

    Does Time Travel Affect The Worlds Population? This is the worlds current population. http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/world/population.html
  8. I

    Can we really travel back in time using a wormhole?

    Is it true that theoretically, you can use a wormhole to travel into the past? How so? Does this whole idea not violate the 1st law of thermodynamics? Could the past already somehow exist? (i don't think so, but just for the record, I'd like your opinion.)
  9. J

    Time Travel Theory & The begining of the universe, why life is like a book.

    The big bang. Some of our theories state there was nothing before the current universe and then BANG! (Well we really don't know but let's use that for this conversation) all of a sudden we have matter. Well my theory on this is: Because there was nothing before the universe, it would have...
  10. A

    Unanswered Questions Surrounding Time Travel Possibilities

    Hey guys I have a quick time travel question. Some people say that we will never be able to travel in time because if we were able to then someone would have already traveled back in time to tell us that it is indeed possible. They say that since this has not happened, then we will never...
  11. K

    Speed of light and Time Travel

    Well, We all know about Einstein Theory of Relativity. The speed of light is constant. And if someone travels close to the speed of light; time goes slower than someone walking on Earth etc. Ok, this is my question. (Involves Pilots) Ok, since pilots travel at amazing speeds of 1,000 -...
  12. D

    Do wormholes allow for time travel and travel to other dimensions?

    I was reading an interview with Carl Sagan, where he described how a wormhole would theoretically work if you travel between 2 points, point A and point B. However, is it possible that we can not only use this to traverse space, but time (assuming wormholes exist)? For instance, if we find a...
  13. E

    Time Travel - Possibility and Speculation

    I am curious to see what your opinions are on the odds of Time Travel accually being achieved... under what circumstances do you think it would be possible? And those of you who do believe it will be possible in the future, how much longer until it is possible?
  14. Antonio Lao

    The Science of Time Travel: Uncovering Ancient Knowledge and Modern Discoveries

    To Everyone Who loves Time Travel, The English science fiction writer H.G. Wells wrote the book 'Time Machine' in 1895. As far as I know, this is the only book about time travel written before Einstein's special theory of relativity of 1905. H. G. Wells could have influence Einstein but...
  15. H

    How the suggestion to found the time travel award

    To get into time travel, the negative mass structure is reasonable as it is ease to exceed the c. This is a very hard question. The negative mass traveler invention and patent would be awarded. Is it right the ten millions money award. Who can do it ready ? Help please!
  16. L

    Can black holes be used for time travel?

    As ridiclous and far-fetched as it may seem, say if one is able to get past the event horizon, hypothetically. Do you believe a hole in space is a bridge between several other dimensions where you are able to go back through time?
  17. T

    What if speed of light was Faster? Would TIME travel be prohibited?

    A recent post of slower than normal speed of light brought to mind "what If" light speed was faster. C being a constant, if it increased say by 10x, would the sun output be a 100 fold increase? Also, it makes me question TIME travel. If one were to travel into the future, would there be a...
  18. N

    Who Cares About Time Travel When

    WHEN THERE IS A PLACE WHERE TIME AND SPACE ARE THE SAME PLACE.
  19. T

    The Death Paradox of Time Travel

    Just suppose that Time Travel can be done. Now, suppose as you are traveling in either direction, i.e., the past or future, you were to die. What would happen? Would you die in the time from which you originally existed or in the time at which you presently exist in your travels? If so, say...
  20. T

    Another Paradox of Time Travel

    What if an individual engaged in time travel, going backwards thru time, were to die while at some point in the past. Would they "die" while in the Past? Or would their existence still be tied to "where they were" before traveling to the Past? Would this mean that a "time traveler" would have...
  21. G

    Can Information Travel Back in Time through Quantum Physics?

    Is it theoretically possible to encode information in particles which travel back in time? I realize this is a can of worms question. I am also not too sharp with QP. Isn't there a theory in Quantum Physics that there are "forwards" and "backwards" photons which meet each other in time? So I...
  22. K

    Time Travel - what alot boll'clocks'

    I've just been through about an hours lecture on the theories of time travel and it just bores me so much [zz)] they all talk about how time travel could become real in about 50 years time through the use of general relativity and i honestly couldn't stop laughing. now I am not saying...
  23. G

    Exploring the Possibilities of Time Travel

    Time travel is empirically impossible for the simple reason that there is no empirical past. The past exists only as memory and history. The atoms (molecules and subatomic particles) that composed the past have simply rearranged themselves and comprise the present. Travel to the past...
  24. S

    Does Human Knowledge Have Limits?

    The Universe, does it exist? here is some of a conversation i had on IRC last night: [10:52] SShadow_{D-O} What happens happens [10:53] SShadow_{D-O} No one knows anything [10:53] SShadow_{D-O} everything that has been "learned" is theories [10:55] SShadow_{D-O} THE WORLD IS NOTHING...
  25. C

    Time travel and Multiverse Theory

    I am curious as to others' beliefs/opinions on how time travel and/vs. multiverse theory correlate. Theory/Question 1. If you could go back in time and try to alter an event, could it turn out that you can't change it and are actually only helping history along it's course...
  26. N

    NASA Knows Time Travel is Fact?

    Hello, I just completed viewing a documentary on The Learning Channel on time travel, and what they said greatly suprised me: satellites that NASA uses are set up so that the clock on the satellite is rewinded or set to adjust to the fraction of a second the satellite gains by traveling...
  27. Kerrie

    What would you change if you could time travel to the Wild West?

    if you could time travel, either back or forward in time, where would you go assuming you could come back safely to your own time? would you change anything? i would go to 19th century america and live in the wild west (preferably california during the gold rush)...
  28. E

    Possible Consequences of Time Travel: A Scientific Perspective

    As I see it one of two thing can happen with time travel. 1- Time travel is not possible at all. 2- We time travel and destroy the universe. Here's why, - The universe has a set mass, and therefore a set gravitational pull. If you go back in time you have just increased the mass of the...
  29. M

    Deductive Logic on the subject of Time Travel.

    When I say "Time Travel" in the title, I'm referring to traveling into the past. I just wanted to see if I could establish deductive validity for my assumption that it is not just impossible, but non-sensical, to travel backward in time. ("P" stands for "Proposition" and "C" stands for...
  30. A

    Can We Time Travel to Earth's Past and Future?

    hello all! here is my question. Is it theoretically possible to time travel to the Earth's future and it's past? thx
  31. T

    Time Travel & Energy: Possible Violation of Conservation Law?

    Suppose time travel is possible. Then will it violate the law of conservation of energy??
  32. O

    Are there different concepts of time travel and how do they work?

    [SOLVED] 2 concepts of Time Travel My concepts are based on Logic (not on physics nor mathmatics); Note: Sorry for my spelling. I don't use English much. 1. The balloon Theroy Ones needs to always look at the universe as a connections of mass elements. All elements follow a straight...
  33. S

    Proving Time Travel: What Evidence is Needed?

    What would a person need to do or show us to prove he is a traveler from the future. What would be the key piece of evidence that says, hey this guy is for real. To me his technology as a whole should speak for itself.
  34. H

    Is Nostradamus' Time Travel Theory Legitimate?

    We all know about the correctness of the predictions made by Nostradamus. Some say he might have been a time traveller. Is this possible?
  35. MathematicalPhysicist

    Do Time Paradoxes Prove the Impossibility of Time Travel?

    what proof will do in order to wrap it up? do we need a mathematical proof or experimental proof (although i don't know how could do it, perhaps with a thought experiment which the results are known)? for the question of thought experiment could the time paradoxes do it for a proof that time...
  36. O

    Is time travel possible in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics?

    A common claim is that in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, grandfather paradoxes are avoided because you end up in a different universe when you travel back in time. Does anyone here know whether this is true, and how it works? Is there a website that explains it well? I'm...
  37. O

    Time travel into the past is logically possible

    Time travel into the past is logically possible, provided that your presence in the past only causes things to happen that have, in fact, already happened. In other words: if time travel is restricted to only one universe (as in general relativity), then there is only one version of the universe...
  38. phoenixthoth

    Unlock the Secret of Time Travel: Ione, California 2:15pm

    here's how you do it. suppose it's 2:08pm and you're in ione, california. place an ad in the front page of every newspaper in the world (this requires lots of money--for someone like bill gates) that says the following: time travelers: go to ione california (give address) at 2:15pm...
  39. Ivan Seeking

    Is Time Travel Merely an Engineering Challenge?

    "All it takes is a grasp of theoretical physics, control of the space-time continuum, and maybe a ball of cosmic string." http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.08/pwr_timetravel.html I know we have objections to this statement: "Once confined to fantasy and science fiction, time travel...
  40. E

    Does any one know how does paradox fits in to time travel?

    does anyone know how does paradox fits into time travel??
  41. D

    Exploring Theoretical Physics: Time Travel and Parallel Universes

    I'm new to the topic of theoretical physics so can someone fill me in is it possible to go back in time and go to the future? because say Joe is from the future, and he goes to the pass and kill's his younger version. will he instantly disappear? oh yeah btw, it struck me, parallel...
  42. M

    Exploring Time Travel: The Impact on Universe's Energy and Matter

    Let`s say that I traveled back in time and then traveled back to the present but I left an object in the past. Since the universe always contains the same amount of energy/matter, what would happen to the universe`s energy to explain the sudden change (bringing the said object from one time to...
  43. E

    Controversial subject of Time Travel

    now we all know that time travel is a very controversial subject. I believe that it is possible and am actually writing a research paper on it. I have a theory, however, that if you did travel into the future you could never see yourself or interact with yourself. If you went into the future...
  44. I

    Question: Is time travel to the past possible according to quantum mechanics?

    I've been thinking about time travel...who hasn't. Since time is simply the movement of exsistence, it seems that one could go into the future faster than normal by slowing the speed of exsistence around them. I thnk this is pretty well supported. However going into the past does not seem...
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