One of the many things that keeps scientists awake at night is whether or not we humans will one day be capable of traveling through time. Up until this point, the answer to this question seemed negative, although that may no longer be the case. In theory it certainly is possible, at least when looking at it from a mathematical point of view.
TIME TRAVEL IS NOT OUT OF REACH
It is always interesting to learn scientists are not giving up on the concept of time travel just yet. Although this technology will not be developed overnight by any means, new research indicates doing so would certainly be possible. Proper time travel would require the use of a flux capacitor, although there may be a solution for this problem as well.
A lot of people think time travel is something invested by movie directors and science fiction writers. While it is certainly true this technology is often used in sci-fi settings, it is not as unfeasible as most people think it is. To be more specific, it is mathematically possible to travel in time, even though that does not mean it will ever become a reality.
The researcher in question successfully put together a scientific formula which uses Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. This theory states how large cosmic objects distort space and time, effectively creating a “warp”. Now that gravitational waves – generated by colliding black holes- have been scientifically proven, this theory deserves a much closer look.
Gravitational waves can effectively cause a curve in the fabric of time-space. Time seemingly moves slower as an object comes closer to a black hole. The mathematically proposed model of a time machine uses the curved space-time to bend them into a circle, rather than a straight line as we know it today. Using this circle will effectively allow someone to go back in time. This does not negate the risk of creating a time paradox, though.
Building a device capable of using the curved space-time will be quite a monumental challenge, though. The mathematics for doing so may check out, we cannot build a machine as the materials required are not discovered yet. Exotic matter, which is used to bend space-time in these “unusual” ways, is not accessible to our species just yet.
It is not surprising not all academia see eye-to-eye with this new theory. Even if they succeeded, there still remains the question as to whether or not we would effectively be able to go backward in time when push comes to shove. Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s most prominent cosmologists, claims it is impossible to do so. Rest assured this topic will be touched upon quite often in the coming decades, as it is still an intriguing concept.
