Scientists claim that if a 21 year old astronaut were able to travel to the Andromeda Galaxy at the speed of light and return to earth safely, he would be 72 years old. But on Earth, 4 million years will have passed.
My source for this marvelous tidbit is the Science Center in Greensboro, NC.
Just think how much his IRA account would be worth!
2007-06-21 18:44:51 · 23 answers · asked by Bill Melater 3 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
I find this very fascinating. thank you for that information.
2007-06-21 18:48:07 · answer #1 · answered by farmerblonde 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've always been fascinated by relativistic physics (well, at least as long as I've had a decent understanding of it).
Also, if you were to travel to a planet 10 billion light years away, you would be able to walk 1000 years into the Earth's future by mearly walking in the direction opposite from Earth for a few minutes.
In response to CS: The Earth will be here in 4 million years. People may not be, but the Earth can take anything people can dish out. Then again, in an Earth where people travel the speed of light, that may be a different story.
2007-06-22 01:49:00 · answer #2 · answered by Mickey Mouse Spears 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He probably wouldn't need money when he returned... either global society would have transcended the need for it, or all civilization would be destroyed by then.
By the way to anyone who doesn't know, he's 72 because time slows down for him as he approaches the speed of light. Time flows differently based on someone's relationship to the speed of light.
2007-06-22 01:50:43 · answer #3 · answered by KatGuy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time slows down when you are travelling close to the speed of light. So for the astronaunt time would, in his view, stay normal. On earth however millions of years would have gone by.
2007-06-22 01:50:54 · answer #4 · answered by br@ini@c 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just think, after 4 million years, would his IRA still exist. Would the World still exist?
2007-06-28 21:45:33 · answer #5 · answered by jorst 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow. I wish I understood that, and I'll take your word for it. I don't know if humans are going to be around for 4 million more years, but I bet some really cool new species will have evolved.
2007-06-22 01:51:27 · answer #6 · answered by Snicker_Doodle8 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fascinating.
2007-06-22 01:46:57 · answer #7 · answered by Aunt Bee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's very interesting, thank you! In 4 million years though, money would probably non-existent so he wouldn't have to worry about his IRA.
2007-06-29 22:49:08 · answer #8 · answered by wittylaughingwoman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
awesome. That's probably what happened to the mayan empire. They are on a space ship 1000's of light years away.
2007-06-29 21:46:51 · answer #9 · answered by HRchick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
earth isnt even going to be around for 4 million years. we r killing this planet
2007-06-22 01:47:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
LMAO finally a trick that will work to make for a wealthy retirement.
2007-06-22 01:47:09 · answer #11 · answered by krzylove 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋