Back in Time: Exploring the Past and Why

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In summary: Otherwise, the paradox would exist in which the machine would not exist at all.In summary, if you had a back in time machine, you could go back to the beginning of life and see how it all happened. However, traveling to the future is also possible and has no real consequences.
  • #1
MSI
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if you have a back in time machine ...
what time you want to return to and why ?
 
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  • #2
i think i would be too afraid of the consequences of time travel.
 
  • #3
Going to the future is safe, as long as you cannot return.
 
  • #4
Yeah. You are doing it right now. :wink:

If I am going back in time, I want to go back to the beginning of life to see how it really all happened.
 
  • #5
If you did go back in time, you would probably be the one responsible for starting life. I.e., hitch-hiking bacteria would have a field day in the new environment.

There are no real consequences of traveling back in time. One of my favorite theoretical creations is the self-repair principle of time travel.
 
  • #6
well i meant the consequences of traveling back in time, everyone knows traveling to the future is very possible ;).
Originally posted by Ben-CS
If you did go back in time, you would probably be the one responsible for starting life. I.e., hitch-hiking bacteria would have a field day in the new environment.
the consequences of this seem infinite to me, depending on how you see time. ie. if you started life by traveling back in time how did the loop originally begin, if you created life what originally created you? and does time exist after the second you traveled back in time? because if you traveled in time and stopped yourself from traveling back in time you would stop creation and everything should disappear right? i just see a neverending loop of time, boggles my mind.
 
  • #7
I'd go back in time and punch Feynman square in the face. Why? Because I unapologetically, obsessively hate Feynman!

Yeah, I could do something 'worthwhile' and see whether or not Christ really did perform miracles, the beginning of life on Earth, what dinosaurs really looked like, etc., and so forth. But then I'd just have some boring old knowledge that served no purpose (since I would hardly be able to prove any of it conclusively when I got back). My way, I get a sense of satisfaction, and my friends all get really confused if the moment was caught on camera and published in an old newspaper. Bonus!
 
  • #8
Originally posted by Dj Sneaky Whiskers
I'd go back in time and punch Feynman square in the face. Why? Because I unapologetically, obsessively hate Feynman!

Man what do you have against Feynman. Remember now that you're in a forum where the majority of the members idolize him...
 
  • #9
i'd love to go back to the roaring twenties, think about it, the cafe culture, orson welles, jazz (benny goodman, oh yeah baby!), atonality in classical music, the beginnings of gender equality, hope for a better world, real hope, not the stuff they sell for $9.95 down the road these days, and face it the fashion just rocked back then!
 
  • #10
Originally posted by climbhi
Remember now that you're in a forum where the majority of the members idolize him...

What more reason does a chap need?:wink:

Besides, the dude hates mathematicians, he deserves my wrath. Just you wait until I get my time machine, then...BAM! Right in the kisser!
 
  • #11
Give him one for me as well! also i would like to go back in time and punch shakespeare and le chatellier, the most boring lessons i have ever had have been about shakespeare and i just don't like le chatellier.
 
  • #12
Originally posted by FZ+
If I am going back in time, I want to go back to the beginning of life to see how it really all happened.
Can a time-machine take you to a moment that came before time? :wink:
 
  • #13
Originally posted by Dj Sneaky Whiskers
I'd go back in time and punch Feynman
square in the face.
Why? Because I unapologetically,
obsessively hate Feynman!
You're sick man !
 
  • #14
All of us who want to punch a historical figure should band together an buy our own time machine. Everyone else just wants to find out stuff. All those willing to go on a merry rumble in the past send £5 to me via a paypal account I shall set up for that purpose, and *I'll* go buy the time machine. Hurry, offer ends soon.
 
  • #15
Originally posted by Lifegazer
Can a time-machine take you to a moment that came before time? :wink:
Your machine will probably create time in doing so. Hmm... interesting paradox. What came first, the time or the time machine?
 
  • #16
the chicken of course.

anyways the paradox I am wondering about is how do you take a machine back to a time in which the machine wasn't created? Would it disassemble before your eyes or is there some freaky theory out there that could allow it to stay intact?
 
  • #17
Going back in time would require that every atom in the universe was rearranged to be exactly how it was at any given moment in the past-history of existence. Or at least, such a machine would have to fool your mind that this was the case.
But the reason why such a machine could not create the former conditions, is because that machine (and its occupants) would 'contaminate' the exact-order of that time. Going back to a specific time cannot be done in physical-reality, since the very presence of 'you' changes that time.

However, if somebody proves me wrong, I'd like to see the events which unfolded around the Eastern-Mediterranean coastlines between 6000 and 2000 years ago. Very interesting times in that region.
 
  • #18
Going back in time would require that every atom in the universe was rearranged to be exactly how it was at any given moment in the past-history of existence. Or at least, such a machine would have to fool your mind that this was the case.
That is entirely wrong. Relativity, which is highly successful in corresponding to experimental tests, treats time as just another dimension, part of the spacetime. So, if we can control movement along the 4th dimension, then time travel should be possible. That's a big if though.
 
  • #19
i think there is a forum here for phylosphy ... you can go to main page and start onther thread for "phylosophy of back in time" or you can got to physics and start designing this machine .. and after you finish come here and tell us so we use it ...

for me i want to return to the time of the first human on the Earth and see if he was created or evolved
 
  • #20
Don't leave Other Sciences out!
If man was evolved, it would be impossible for you to find a "first man", since the progress is more or less continuous variation of genes.
 
  • #21
well then i will ask the first human i meet :
was you evolved or created ?
he will say :
houa hou wah he ...bla bla, and then a HIT! on my face http://www31.brinkster.com/zargawee/forum/icon_smile_blackeye.gif then i will know that the question well saty for ever unsolved


will i stay with that man "hit" ... hey help i want a "going in future machine !"
 
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1. What is the purpose of studying the past?

The purpose of studying the past is to gain a better understanding of how our world and society have developed over time. By examining past events, we can learn from our mistakes and successes, and use this knowledge to shape our future.

2. How do scientists study the past?

Scientists use a variety of methods to study the past, including archeology, historical documents, and scientific techniques such as radiocarbon dating. These methods allow scientists to piece together a timeline of events and understand how past civilizations lived and interacted.

3. Why is it important to preserve historical artifacts?

Preserving historical artifacts is important because they provide tangible evidence of past events and cultures. These artifacts can help us understand how people lived, what they believed, and how they interacted with their environment. They also allow us to pass down our cultural heritage to future generations.

4. What role does technology play in exploring the past?

Technology plays a crucial role in exploring the past. Advanced imaging techniques, such as LiDAR, allow scientists to uncover hidden archaeological sites and map out landscapes. DNA analysis can also reveal information about ancient populations and their migrations. Additionally, technology allows for the preservation and digitization of historical documents and artifacts.

5. How does studying the past impact our present and future?

Studying the past has a significant impact on our present and future. By understanding past events and their consequences, we can make informed decisions in the present. Studying the past also allows us to learn from our mistakes and successes, shaping a better future for ourselves and future generations.

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