# Is Time Compression really possible? Or is it just nonsense?

## Main Question or Discussion Point

Time Compression and Length Expansion are the opposite effects of Time Dilation and Length Contraction.

According to Lorentz, observation of time in another inertial reference frame is ALWAYS dilated.

But I read on some other forum that due to "Complex Lorentz Transformations", Time Compression is actually possible.

Is this true?

Last edited:

Related Special and General Relativity News on Phys.org
Time Compression and Length Expansion are the opposite effects of Time Dilation and Length Contraction.

According to Lorentz, observation of time in another inertial reference frame is ALWAYS dilated.

But I read on some other forum that due to "Complex Lorentz Transformations", Time Compression is actually possible.

Is this true?
You would need to provide a link to the other messages for anyone to say whether what was posted was true or not.

In "complex" cases involving accelerated observers, any value is possible (greater than 1, less than 1 and even negative values) because time dilation is just a geometric projection.

Michio Cuckoo said:
But I read on some other forum that due to "Complex Lorentz Transformations", Time Compression is actually possible.

Is this true?
Yes, but we know of no way to "accelerate" to velocities like $\left(5+3\cdot i\right)\ \dfrac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{s}}$. I've had a good time thinking about what would be possible if we could, but at the moment, we don't even think such velocities exist (?), let alone be able to travel at them.

Yes, but we know of no way to "accelerate" to velocities like $\left(5+3\cdot i\right)\ \dfrac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{s}}$. I've had a good time thinking about what would be possible if we could, but at the moment, we don't even think such velocities exist (?), let alone be able to travel at them.
The Earth is continually accelerating as it orbits the Sun. That alone is enough to cause 'interesting' effects. A trick question to consider is "How many lives does a cat living in the Andromeda Galaxy need if it is to survive Schroedinger's Experiment?" from our point of view.