- #1
Jackson Tan
- 7
- 0
A typical device in (theoretical) time travel is a wormhole, and the usual method of inducing a time shift, i.e. the two mouths at different times, is to subject one mouth to relativistic time dilation.
However, I can't see why a relativistic boost will result in a time shift. It seems that time dilation will only cause the wormhole mouth to age slower, and not link it between two different times.
To illustrate this, suppose, at t = 0 years (Earth's clock), we have a wormhole sitting in our labs on Earth. We keep mouth A on Earth and accelerate mouth B at high speeds. At t = 10 years, B returns to Earth. Now, due to relativistic effects, when 10 years have passed on Earth, only 1 year has passed on B. But let's look at it from a point of view of someone on Earth. t = 0, mouth B leaves Earth; t = 10, mouth B returns. But how does this connect two different points in time? How can this guy use this wormhole as time travel?
Have I understood something wrongly about inducing time shifts in wormhole mouths?
However, I can't see why a relativistic boost will result in a time shift. It seems that time dilation will only cause the wormhole mouth to age slower, and not link it between two different times.
To illustrate this, suppose, at t = 0 years (Earth's clock), we have a wormhole sitting in our labs on Earth. We keep mouth A on Earth and accelerate mouth B at high speeds. At t = 10 years, B returns to Earth. Now, due to relativistic effects, when 10 years have passed on Earth, only 1 year has passed on B. But let's look at it from a point of view of someone on Earth. t = 0, mouth B leaves Earth; t = 10, mouth B returns. But how does this connect two different points in time? How can this guy use this wormhole as time travel?
Have I understood something wrongly about inducing time shifts in wormhole mouths?