What Are the Most Plausible Theories for Time Travel?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the plausibility of various theories related to time travel, including parallel universes, faster-than-light travel, higher-dimensional travel, black holes/wormholes, and time machines. Participants are sharing their opinions and seeking feedback on the scientific evidence supporting these theories.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant requests feedback on the plausibility of several time travel theories and asks for recommendations on relevant texts.
  • Another participant ranks parallel universes as undetectable and thus not arguable, while assigning a low plausibility to faster-than-light travel and higher-dimensional travel.
  • A third participant references a lecture on the physics of time travel, suggesting it as a resource for further understanding.
  • One participant argues that causality reversal may be fundamentally impossible and suggests that laws of physics seem to oppose it, proposing that future theories may emerge from this principle.
  • There are conflicting views on the plausibility of higher-dimensional travel, with one participant asserting it is not feasible due to the nature of curled-up dimensions.
  • Black holes and wormholes are discussed as potential solutions in general relativity, but their feasibility is questioned based on other physical mechanisms.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the plausibility and scientific evidence of the various theories, indicating that multiple competing views remain without consensus.

Contextual Notes

Some claims are based on personal opinions rather than established scientific consensus, and there are unresolved questions regarding the definitions and implications of the theories discussed.

mitch_glinton
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Hi,

I am currently working on a project over the summer, entitled 'The physics of time travel'. One of the first things I need is feedback from academics and students involved in physics. Are there any texts/books I should be reading? Also, it would be great if anyone has the time to fill in my questionnaire on the likelyhood of the theories.

Thanks

my email is mitch_glinton@hotmail.co.uk

1. Please rank 1-6 (1 being most), the plausability of the following theories allowing time travel...

Parrelell Universes
Faster than light travel
Higher dimension travel
Black Holes/Worm Holes
Time machine
Other (please specify)

2. Please rank 1-6 (1 being most), the amount of scientific evidence of the following theories allowing time travel...

Parrelell Universes
Faster than light travel
Higher dimension travel
Black Holes/Worm Holes
Time machine
Other (please specify)

Thankyou
 
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These are my own opinions :

Plausability or evidence:

Parallel Universes - Undetectable, so not arguable.
Faster-than-light travel - 6
Higher-dimension travel - 6
Black Holes/Worm Holes - 1 for black, WH Undetecable, so not arguable.
Time machine - According to SR, 1 for going in the future, 6 for going into the past. Practically though, 6 for both.
 
One thing to understand is that you get "problems" regardless of the mechanism in use.

I would wager that causalty reversal is impossible on a deep level, e.g. some kind of axiom. So it might be hard to prove other than that laws of physics always seem to conspire against it. Perhaps something like LQG will end up being based on organizing principles of a single direction of cause-and-effect as a primitive concept that makes our spacetime emerge.

Parrelell [sic] Universes - plausible

Faster than light travel - fundamentally impossible

Higher dimension travel - no, the "higher dimensions" are curled up so you end up going nowhere in the normal three.

Black Holes/Worm Holes - warping of spacetime is allowed as a solution of GR, but it might be ruled out via other mechanisms.
 

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