could we travel through time?

Question

in theory to travel through time we would have to be able to travel at the speed of light but if we did this us and the craft/object we were travelling in would discintegrate!! will theory always remain theory in this case?

Answer 1

No, one of the main laws of thermodynamics is that entropy must always increase. This dictates that hot always flows to cold and not the other way round and therefore fixes the direction of time permanently. See Stephen Hawking's a Brief History of Time for more info.

Not sure why on earth you think that travelling faster than the speed of light would help with travelling through time apart from travelling forwards. Relativity (Einstein) allows that time would pass differently, if you were on a light beam and being observed by someone not travelling at the speed of light, for you and the observer.

And the object would not disentegrate - quite the reverse it would become infinitely heavy and form a quantum singularity (a black hole).

Answer 2

Technically, we are travelling forwards in time as we sit reading this answer - the key is to do with the rate and direction of travel.

It is theoretically possible for forwards travel to be accelerated relative to the common universe by - as you said - light or near-light speeds.
Due to the immense power that is required to accelerate a mass of significant size that a human could be contained within to near light speeds it is currently (and for the far foreseeable future) not possible, we are just not capable of creating enough thrust.
However, there is another possibility. As it is a known fact that as a particle approaches light speed it becomes infinitely dense, and that there is a relationship between density, gravity and relative speed. Hence, if it were capable (and it is only a matter of time) to construct a craft capable of withstanding the stresses of a black hole whilst not being trapped within the massive gravity well - and most importantly perhaps, to get out again - then once within the well, time externally would seem to pass at an accelerated rate, meaning in effect you would have travelled forward in time in a major way.
The real problem would be the return - as of yet no way has been conceived that this could work in reverse, where time moves at an accelerated rate for the universe while the craft remains at a slower rate. What's the point in going forward if there is no way of communicating it back or getting back if it was not as good as you thought.

So yes, theory will probably remain theory always for this. Unless they find the universal equation - but don't hold your breath, they only can work with 3 of the 4 fundamental forces (another question).

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

I'm reading a book called "Time Travel in Einstein's Universe" at the moment and, although I haven't finished it yet - this is what I've learned so far:

It is possible to travel into the future - just not remotely practical. If I got into a spaceship and traveled close to the speed of light (99.9992%) to a distance of about 250 light years away, turned round and came back again - I would have aged about 24 years while Earth would have moved on 1,000 years. It's actually more complicated than that, but that's the gist.

We just have no way of propelling a human that far or that fast at present - without killing them.

Time travel into the past is more problematic - but it's been suggested that it's possible in theory, although it's ulikely that you'd be able to travel back further than the moment you made the time machine. Eg: if you built a time machine today, you'd never be able to use to go back any further than today's date.

Answer 4

Your question has surely brought out the loonies, even some that obviously think they know something. The facts is that if you travel at extremely high speeds, you age more slowly. That is the extent of your time travel. Does that mean you traveled through time? You will never be able to tell. You are always here and it is always now, no matter what you did to get here. Yes matter is known to disintegrate at the speed of light, after all the electrons cannot go around the protons if they cannot catch them.

Answer 5

I am far from being an expert, but using current accepted theories about physics, other than the fact that you are traveling through time at the rate of one second per second, the answer is 'no'. I don't think that time can be classified as a 'place' or 'destination,' so how do you travel there?

Answer 6

I think you are right...the amount of energy needed to power a craft to travel faster than the speed of light would be immense, how could we control such a powerful energy source,, I believe that you also have to travel faster than the speed of light to travel through time.

Answer 7

It will eventually happen. In outer space, with no gravity or atmosphere, we have already sent spacecraft to other planets at incredible speeds. A vehicle in space will not disintegrate from speed, as there is no resistance, 'air'. or otherwise. Space travel at very high speeds in the future, will allow humans to embark on a long journey, and actually return to Earth younger than when they left!!

Answer 8

To travel through time you would have to exceed the speed of light - if you travel at the speed of light then time will stand still.

The trick will not be to travel faster than light but to bend space itself.

Answer 9

in my view as on to day we can travell in time.

example is the austronouts revolving around the earth at high speeds for years together will live in fraction of secound more than us ( this was broadcasted on discovery few weeks back)

so guys n gals lets be sure of time travell !!!!!!!!!!!!!


will like to add that in time travell we will have a limitation of not changing the things that have happened ( this was broadcasted on discovery few weeks back)

Answer 10

If time travel was possible, someone would already have gone back and prevented your parents from ever meeting each other. Minister.... HA! LOSER! You really should read a book. They are those things with pages of printed words.