Physics Behind Time Loops In Movies?

[TheQuestionGuy14]

I was just wondering if there is any physics behind the time loops in the movies Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow.

 

[jedishrfu]

The short answer is no. There's no mechanism to explain how the time loop works. Its just used as an interesting story device.

When talking about time loops, the closest movie might be Interstellar where the astronauts experience time dilation while working near a black hole.

 

[DHF]

I believe the only known mechanism to alter Time, is gravity. so if you had a situation where time was so distorted that it bent back on itself, then you would also be in the presence of a gravity well so enormous that time looping would be the least of your worries.

 

[phinds]

I believe the only known mechanism to alter Time, is gravity. so if you had a situation where time was so distorted that it bent back on itself, then you would also be in the presence of a gravity well so enormous that time looping would be the least of your worries.

Gravity cannot cause time looping. As Jedishrfu already pointed out, it can cause differential aging, that's all.

 

[jedishrfu]

Here's some discussion on time travel possibilities:

https://www.space.com/21675-time-travel.html

and here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel

The problem is that exotic matter is needed. This is matter with special properties that we have yet to discover if it even exists.

 

[phinds]

I believe the only known mechanism to alter Time, is gravity.

To be completely clear, gravity does NOT "alter time", it simply provides an alternate path through space-time which results in differential aging. Clocks always tick locally at one second per second.

 

[DHF]

To be completely clear, gravity does NOT "alter time", it simply provides an alternate path through space-time which results in differential aging. Clocks always tick locally at one second per second.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[fresh_42]

The reason so many people (me included) love sci-fi stories with time loops is the imagination. It is fun! A modern way to tell fairy tales. Nobody of today is really afraid of mean wolves, but the implications of the grandfather paradox are funny. And once you have a contradiction in your system, you can justify everything, which gets the story teller even more freedoms and us watchers or readers more fun.

 

[jedishrfu]

Best time travel movies:

http://io9.gizmodo.com/every-time-travel-movie-ever-ranked-1682363164

So many great stories here.

 

[fresh_42]

Best time travel movies:

http://io9.gizmodo.com/every-time-travel-movie-ever-ranked-1682363164

So many great stories here.

Nice, though my ranking would be a complete different one. And 'Thrill Seekers' is missing! And 'The Triangle' (another one with Catherine Bell).

 

[George Jones]

I was just wondering if there is any physics behind the time loops in the movies Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow.

Yes, there is. At what level do you want an answer?

 

[TheQuestionGuy14]

Yes, there is. At what level do you want an answer?

What do you mean by level? Also, are you talking about Closed Timelike Curves? I've heard of those recently.

 

[George Jones]

Yes, I mean closed timelike curves.

By "level", I mean "What background in physics and math do you have?" It is okay if you don't have any background in physics and math, but I will try to write a detailed answer with your background in mind. This might not happen today.

 

[TheQuestionGuy14]

Yes, I mean closed timelike curves.

By "level", I mean "What background in physics and math do you have?" It is okay if you don't have any background in physics and math, but I will try to write a detailed answer with your background in mind. This might not happen today.

I have a basic background. I studied General Relativity and touched a little on CTCs, I'd like to hear your detailed answer though.