Physicists Say They've Come Up With a Mathematical Model For a Viable Time Machine

[phands]

A staple of decent science fiction is "mathematically possible"....

Physicists have come up with what they claim is a mathematical model of a theoretical "time machine" - a box that can move backwards and forwards through time and space.
The trick, they say, is to use the curvature of space-time in the Universe to bend time into a circle for hypothetical passengers sitting in the box, and that circle allows them to skip into the future and the past.
"People think of time travel as something as fiction. And we tend to think it's not possible because we don't actually do it," said theoretical physicist and mathematician, Ben Tippett, from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
"But, mathematically, it is possible."
Together with David Tsang, an astrophysicist at the University of Maryland, Tippett used Einstein's theory of general relativity to come up with a mathematical model of what they're calling a Traversable Acausal Retrograde Domain in Space-time (yep, the acronym is literally TARDIS).
But before we get into the madness of legit time travel, let's put this into perspective real quick - the researchers aren't claiming to have a blueprint for a Doctor Who-style time machine that can be built tomorrow.
They say the materials we'd need to build this thing are so exotic, we haven't even discovered them yet... but we'll get to that in a minute.
Firstly, let's talk about what Tippett and Tsang are actually proposing.
The model is based on the idea that instead of looking at the Universe in three spatial dimensions, with the fourth dimension (time) separated, we should be imagining those four dimensions simultaneously.
That allows us to consider the possibility of a space-time continuum, where different directions in space and time are all connected within the curved fabric of the Universe.
Einstein's theory of relativity links gravitational effects in the Universe to a curvature of space-time - the phenomenon thought to be behind the elliptical orbits of planets and stars.
If space-time were 'flat' or uncurved, planets would move in straight lines. But according to relativity, the geometry of space-time becomes curved in the vicinity of high-mass objects, which causes planets to bend their paths and rotate around their star instead.
What Tippett and Tsang argue is that it's not just physical space that can be bent and twisted in the Universe - time itself can also be curved in the vicinity of high-mass objects.
"The time direction of the space-time surface also shows curvature. There is evidence showing the closer to a black hole we get, time moves slower," said Tippett.
"My model of a time machine uses the curved space-time to bend time into a circle for the passengers, not in a straight line. That circle takes us back in time."

He even calls it a TARDIS!

https://www.sciencealert.com/physic...-mathematical-model-for-a-viable-time-machine

 

[steve_bank]

Does it require an alien with a gentic mutatuin to operate?

Any number of consistent math models can be built using existing theroes, but that can not be constructed.

How about something practical like turning lead into gold or a perpetual motion machine that solves the world's energy problems.

A perpetual motionmachine can be designed using existing scince and engineering. It can be mathematicaly simulated but it can never be built.

 

[barbos]

A staple of decent science fiction is "mathematically possible"....

[FONT=&]Physicists have come up with what they claim is a mathematical model of a theoretical "time machine" - a box that can move backwards and forwards through time and space.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]The trick, they say, is to use the curvature of space-time in the Universe to bend time into a circle for hypothetical passengers sitting in the box, and that circle allows them to skip into the future and the past.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]"People think of time travel as something as fiction. And we tend to think it's not possible because we don't actually do it," said theoretical physicist and mathematician, Ben Tippett, from the University of British Columbia in Canada.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]"But, mathematically, it is possible."[/FONT]
[FONT=&]Together with David Tsang, an astrophysicist at the University of Maryland, Tippett used Einstein's theory of general relativity to come up with a mathematical model of what they're calling a Traversable Acausal Retrograde Domain in Space-time (yep, the acronym is literally TARDIS).[/FONT]
[FONT=&]But before we get into the madness of legit time travel, let's put this into perspective real quick - the researchers aren't claiming to have a blueprint for a Doctor Who-style time machine that can be built tomorrow.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]They say the materials we'd need to build this thing are so exotic, we haven't even discovered them yet... but we'll get to that in a minute.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]Firstly, let's talk about what Tippett and Tsang are actually proposing. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]The model is based on the idea that instead of looking at the Universe in three spatial dimensions, with the fourth dimension (time) separated, we should be imagining those four dimensions simultaneously.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]That allows us to consider the possibility of a space-time continuum, where different directions in space and time are all connected within the curved fabric of the Universe.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]Einstein's theory of relativity links gravitational effects in the Universe to a curvature of space-time - the phenomenon thought to be behind the elliptical orbits of planets and stars.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]If space-time were 'flat' or uncurved, planets would move in straight lines. But according to relativity, the geometry of space-time becomes curved in the vicinity of high-mass objects, which causes planets to bend their paths and rotate around their star instead.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]What Tippett and Tsang argue is that it's not just physical space that can be bent and twisted in the Universe - time itself can also be curved in the vicinity of high-mass objects.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]"The time direction of the space-time surface also shows curvature. There is evidence showing the closer to a black hole we get, time moves slower," said Tippett.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]"My model of a time machine uses the curved space-time to bend time into a circle for the passengers, not in a straight line. That circle takes us back in time."[/FONT]

https://www.sciencealert.com/physic...-mathematical-model-for-a-viable-time-machine

Is that all they have? I don't see anything new, in fact I don't see anything new compared ordinary SciFi movie script.

 

[barbos]

Does it require an alien with a gentic mutatuin to operate?

Any number of consistent math models can be built using existing theroes, but that can not be constructed.

They have not even done that it appears. Just a bunch of unoriginal speculations 12 year old could come with. No math whatsoever.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

What I'm uncertain of is where we ourselves are in space time. Do we exist on top of it, or are we part of it... meaning that in order to go back in time, you need to warp space rather severely. Also, with the rotation of the planet about the sun, don't we need to go back in time... and space?

 

[Kharakov]

Ohh, it's just bullshit based on how stuff moves in reality. The mathematical description of how stuff moves has to include relative movement, and people just assume they can alter certain variables to extract certain things out of the system.

Trust me, even in GR, something that happened a light year away right now happened a light year away right now. It's just information transfer that is effected.

The past is non-existent. It's all now all the time.

 

[barbos]

What I'm uncertain of is where we ourselves are in space time. Do we exist on top of it, or are we part of it... meaning that in order to go back in time, you need to warp space rather severely. Also, with the rotation of the planet about the sun, don't we need to go back in time... and space?

We are part of it, in fact we are result of it.

 

[bilby]

Ohh, it's just bullshit based on how stuff moves in reality. The mathematical description of how stuff moves has to include relative movement, and people just assume they can alter certain variables to extract certain things out of the system.

Trust me, even in GR, something that happened a light year away right now happened a light year away right now. It's just information transfer that is effected.

The past is non-existent. It's all now all the time.

I don't trust you.

 

[steve_bank]

Waping space? Sounds like tryinmg to put your head between yur legs and kissing your own butt.

 

[Kharakov]

Ohh, it's just bullshit based on how stuff moves in reality. The mathematical description of how stuff moves has to include relative movement, and people just assume they can alter certain variables to extract certain things out of the system.

Trust me, even in GR, something that happened a light year away right now happened a light year away right now. It's just information transfer that is effected.

The past is non-existent. It's all now all the time.

I don't trust you.

Go with your gut. As long as it's full of a 10+ year old single, really peaty, malt.