Space travellers can run but they can't hide

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of time dilation and age calculation in the context of space travel, particularly focusing on relativistic effects and how they might influence perceived ages of individuals. The conversation includes playful references and speculative reasoning about the implications of these phenomena.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants humorously suggest that space travelers may have their ages misrepresented due to relativistic effects.
  • One participant notes that the ages of individuals are derived programmatically from their birth dates, raising questions about the accuracy of these calculations.
  • There is a suggestion that age might only be recalculated on specific dates, such as a birthday, which could lead to discrepancies.
  • Another participant introduces the idea that one of the individuals mentioned may have died three years prior, adding a layer of complexity to the discussion.
  • Participants engage in playful banter about the implications of time travel and age, with references to specific dates and their significance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of playful agreement and speculation, with no clear consensus on the implications of age calculation or the nature of the time travel references. Multiple competing views remain regarding the accuracy and interpretation of the age data.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding how age is calculated and the implications of relativistic effects on time perception. The discussion includes playful elements that may obscure more serious inquiries into the topic.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in the interplay between relativity, time perception, and age calculation, as well as those who enjoy humorous takes on complex scientific concepts.

DaveC426913
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Finally spotted myself a space traveller, back from a relativistic tour.

No one ever suspects the doctor's office is actually paying attention...

relativistic traveller.png
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
The names are blurred so...

Is that the woman called "Bright",
who can travel much faster than light,
who went out one day
in a relative way
and came back on the previous night?
 
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DaveC426913 said:
Finally spotted myself a space traveller, back from a relativistic tour.
Nah, my mom was 39 for many, many years. All you had to do was ask her. :smile:
 
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The spooky part about this is that their ages are not self-reported. They are derived programmatically from their birth date.

(And yet they are not in error.)
 
It took 3 years for the database query to complete. That person really was 39 when their age was computed, and the other person really was 42 when their age was computed.
 
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You're half right, but the data is accurate.
 
I guess the story has a sad morale for one of them?
 
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DaveC426913 said:
You're half right, but the data is accurate.
Could it be that the age is only recalculated on the person's birthday, which is 29 February?
 
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Simpler. Pt. #2 died 3 years ago.
 
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DrGreg said:
Could it be that the age is only recalculated on the person's birthday, which is 29 February?
I know OCT 31 = DEC 25, but Oct 18 = Feb 29 is new to me.
 
  • #12
mfb said:
I know OCT 31 = DEC 25, but Oct 18 = Feb 29 is new to me.
Good catch. o:) I couldn't see the wood for the trees there.
 

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