Living Beyond Possible: Could I Age Less Than Earth?

[lewis1440]

Q.) If i were to travel at 100,000 m/s in an exact horizontal line away from Earth for approximately 1 year, when i return would everyone on Earth have aged older than me? If so, and traveling 100,000 m/s is possible for a year constant, then could i not live for 100 *earth years* without aging even a fraction of what i should have?

 

[tiny-tim]

welcome to pf!

hi lewis1440! welcome to pf!

If so, and traveling 100,000 m/s is possible for a year constant, then could i not live for 100 *earth years* without aging even a fraction of what i should have?

that's correct

but you'd need to go a lot faster: the time dilation factor is only √(1 - (v/c)²), so you'd need v/c to be very nearly 1

 

[nismaratwork]

Q.) If i were to travel at 100,000 m/s in an exact horizontal line away from Earth for approximately 1 year, when i return would everyone on Earth have aged older than me? If so, and traveling 100,000 m/s is possible for a year constant, then could i not live for 100 *earth years* without aging even a fraction of what i should have?

Welcome! I'd add that, just in case you're not sure: your own experience would be "normal" from your perspective; it's only as you've very properly said: you age a particular way in relation to (in this case) earth.

I have to say, reading the title of this thread I was worried, but that's a good question.

 

[ghwellsjr]

But don't get excited with the possibility of actually taking advantage of extending your life this way. It still will never happened due to many practical problems, not the least of which is the energy involved but also when traveling through space at very high relative speeds, you will impact lots of space debris that will utterly destroy your spaceship.

 

[nismaratwork]

But don't get excited with the possibility of actually taking advantage of extending your life this way. It still will never happened due to many practical problems, not the least of which is the energy involved but also when traveling through space at very high relative speeds, you will impact lots of space debris that will utterly destroy your spaceship.

Shields up!

Kidding aside, I'd hate to impact a proton going at that speed, never mind a bit of hydrogen dust. A pebble would be... bad.