Space travellers can run but they can't hide

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers around the concept of age calculation for individuals who travel at relativistic speeds, specifically referencing a character named "Bright" who can travel faster than light. The conversation highlights the peculiarities of age computation derived from birth dates, particularly for those born on leap years, such as February 29. It is noted that the accuracy of age data can be maintained even when recalculated infrequently, as demonstrated by a three-year delay in a database query. The discussion concludes with an acknowledgment of the complexities involved in understanding time and age in relativistic contexts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of relativistic physics concepts
  • Familiarity with database query performance and optimization
  • Knowledge of age calculation algorithms, particularly for leap year births
  • Basic grasp of programming logic for data accuracy
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  • Research the implications of time dilation in relativistic travel
  • Explore database indexing techniques to improve query performance
  • Study algorithms for calculating age based on varying birth dates
  • Investigate the effects of leap years on data accuracy in programming
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This discussion is beneficial for physicists, database administrators, and software developers interested in the intersection of time, relativity, and data management.

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
 
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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.
 
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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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