Is Time Travel Possible and How Does it Work?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the feasibility of time travel, highlighting various theories and paradoxes associated with it. Participants reference the Novikov self-consistency principle and the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) to explain the implications of altering past events. Key contributors, including physicists Daniel Greenberger and Karl Svozil, suggest that quantum mechanics may prevent changes to the past, ensuring that any attempt to do so results in a consistent future. Ultimately, the consensus leans towards the conclusion that time travel, as commonly imagined, is not physically possible within our current understanding of the universe.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of quantum mechanics and its principles
  • Familiarity with the Novikov self-consistency principle
  • Knowledge of the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI)
  • Basic concepts of spacetime and general relativity
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the Novikov self-consistency principle and its implications for time travel
  • Explore the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI) and its relevance to quantum mechanics
  • Investigate the role of wormholes in theoretical physics and their connection to time travel
  • Study Stephen Hawking's theories on time travel and the Fermi paradox
USEFUL FOR

Anyone interested in theoretical physics, particularly students, researchers, and science fiction writers exploring the concept of time travel and its philosophical implications.

  • #31
stefanbanev said:
to get back "home" would be quite a challenge

Following a Closed Timelike Curve (CTC) doesn't mean you go backwards in time. Locally, you still experience time going forwards, but as you follow this CTC you can end up at some time before you started. The problem is that it can take a very, very long time to follow a CTC, and as you're traveling along the CTC, spacetime continues to expand. It could be challenging to identify "home".
 

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