Can Tachyons Enable Messages to the Past?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter putongren
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on tachyons, hypothetical particles that travel faster than light and are theorized to move backwards in time. Participants explore the implications of tachyons on causality, particularly the possibility of sending messages to the past. The conversation highlights the paradoxes that could arise, such as a message sent from Alice to Bob potentially allowing Bob to respond before receiving the initial message, thereby violating causality. The consensus indicates that while tachyons are an intriguing concept, their existence would fundamentally challenge our understanding of time and causation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of tachyon theory and its implications
  • Familiarity with causality in physics
  • Basic knowledge of faster-than-light communication concepts
  • Awareness of time paradoxes in theoretical physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of tachyons on causality in theoretical physics
  • Explore the concept of tachyonic antitelephones and their theoretical framework
  • Study the philosophical implications of time travel and causality
  • Investigate current scientific perspectives on faster-than-light communication
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, philosophers of science, and anyone interested in the theoretical implications of faster-than-light particles and time travel.

putongren
Messages
124
Reaction score
1
Not sure where to post this, but here goes:

I'm not that knowledgeable about tachyons (particles that always go faster than the speed of light, if they exist), but is it true that they go backwards in time according to theory?

If that is true, and if scientists find them, would scientists be able to send messages backwards in time?

If that is true, would our philosophy concerning causality require an immense shift in thinking (effect preceding cause, etc..) ?

Just saying, would the existence of tachyons lead to time paradoxes or other strange effects?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Hey thanks for the links. They are helpful. So basically, if Alice sent a message to Bob going faster than the speed of light, Bob might return a message back before Alice's initial message. Thus, that violates causality and makes faster-than-light communication impossible.

I guess I was looking for something more exotic, but I guess that was all in my head.
 

Similar threads

Graduate Can a Tachyon Observe Light Traveling Faster Than Itself?
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
6K
Undergrad Superluminal Messaging and Causality Paradox: Myth or Reality?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
High School Backwards Time Travel: Can We Influence Our Casual Past?
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
Graduate Time/electromagntec spectrum and causality
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Graduate What Ingredients Can Make an Observer?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate GBAR Experiment (CERN) - Genève
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
2K
Undergrad Resolution to the Tachyonic Antitelephone paradox
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
7K
Graduate Solving the Assassin Paradox: A Q&A with Adrian
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Undergrad Can Emergent Spacetime Concepts Enable Faster-Than-Light Travel?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Can Tachyons Travel Faster Than the Speed of Light and Alter the Future?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K