For centuries, humans have thought of time as a linear concept – but time dilation challenges that perception.
Just as gravity pulls things down, time simply moves forward at a constant, unwavering rate. However, consider Einstein’s theory of relativity, and a stubborn loophole emerges: time does not pass the same for everyone. Reinforced by physics, this is also the closest thing that we have to real-world time travel.
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The idea of time dilation
In Christoper Nolan’s blockbuster movie Interstellar, the idea of time dilation is introduced as the characters embark on a mission to visit a planet in close orbit around a supermassive black hole. In the movie, every hour on that planet is approximately equivalent to seven years on Earth. Funnily enough, this scene is not complete sci-fi, but is a plausible theory that could occur in the real world.
Einstein’s theory of relativity states that space and time are not fixed, rigid things—they can stretch and be contorted depending on how fast you move and the strength of gravity around you. This theory posits the key principle that time and space are relative to the observer, not constant for all living things. An easier way to understand this principle is to imagine two people: one stays on Earth, while the other shoots off into space at nearly the speed of light.
For the traveler, time will slow down, and they will age more slowly than the person left on Earth. When the traveler returns, they will have experienced only a few years, while decades will have passed on Earth.
This concept may enable humans to travel into the future.
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By GlobalDataAn unattainable concept
While scientific evidence supports the idea of traveling into the future using the theory of relativity, actually achieving the feat is currently near-impossible.
The first obstacle humans will face in actualising this concept is approaching speeds that are incredibly close to the speed of light. Current technology does not support the extreme amount of energy required for light-speed travel. Additionally, the physical stresses, radiation exposure, and engineering limits of building an aircraft that can survive such conditions are well beyond the reach of today.
The other alternative would be to dip into the orbit of a supermassive black hole, similar to the events in the movie Interstellar. However, the closest black hole, Gaia BH1, is approximately 1,600 light-years away, a distance far beyond the reach of the spacecraft we have today.
Best left as sci-fi
Ultimately, we know that time dilation is real, because we already use it.
GPS satellites must account for and correct for time dilation, since time runs faster in orbit than on Earth. However, the engineering and technological challenges of scaling this to full-blown time travel are beyond what we can achieve and best left as sci-fi, at least for now.
However; the fact that physics leaves even a narrow doorway open is remarkable. Time is not the rigid backdrop we thought it was. It can bend and warp, and under the right circumstances, clear a path to a future that we can travel to at will.
