Timetravel and Evolution

[Switchy]

Lets say one day scientists discover how to Timetravel, and learn everything there is to be learnt about genetics/DNA/etc.
Could the scientists then travel back to the past to before evolution on planet earth had taken place and seed the Earth with the first self-replicating cell from which all evolution arises?

Switchy

[OldBill]

Maybe they already did, and that's why we all look like apes now. Bastards should have left well enough alone.

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by Switchy

Lets say one day scientists discover how to Timetravel, and learn everything there is to be learnt about genetics/DNA/etc.
Could the scientists then travel back to the past to before evolution on planet earth had taken place and seed the Earth with the first self-replicating cell from which all evolution arises?

Switchy

Works for me, who says causality has to be preserved?

[HydrogenBond]

This would work only if there is a logical progression of evolution. If evolution was based on random events, the odds of these very scientists appearing one billion years in the future is almost zero. This version of seeded evolution would follow a broad path and could result in a different group of scientists who would have to time travel. But the same random would also eliminate them from the future. This means it never happened, even if it did.

The only way it could work is sort of like an evolution recording, with each step pre-defined. They rewind the recording to the beginning, step into the film and plant the seed. They they fast forward it to the future and see themselves at the end of the film. This would eliminate randomness so the final result is a sure thing. The sure thing completes a cause and affect loop with is probability of 1.0 instead random at 0.00000000000000000000000000000001. The random may takes zillions of trials before cause and effect appear.

[CraigD]

Originally Posted by Switchy

Lets say one day scientists discover how to Timetravel, and learn everything there is to be learnt about genetics/DNA/etc.
Could the scientists then travel back to the past to before evolution on planet earth had taken place and seed the Earth with the first self-replicating cell from which all evolution arises?

Accepting a means to time travel, sure, why not? I can see no reason why the scenario wouldn’t work even if there were no scientists or knowledge of genetics – an entirely unintelligent, natural phenomena that could transport some random biological matter back in time to a suitable environment - which, according to many panspermia theories, could be as inhospitable as the pre-solar nebula from which its planets will form.

If you’re speculating about time travel scenarios, why stop at the mere origin of biological life? Think vaster. Consider the idea that the beginning of the universe, or at least the last 13 or so billion years of it, was caused or influenced by time travelers. Steven Baxter’s 1995 hard science fiction novel “The Time Ships” is an outstanding example of the exploration of this idea.

[wddycus]

OK I believe one day we might be able to travel back in time but if this is possible when we go back we will not be able to change the future. You will be able to change that part of time but I believe we will be unable to affect the future because you can not change something that has all ready happen and I also believe we will be unable to travel to the future how can you go somewhere that has not happen if you was able to go to the future than you would go into nothingness that would be a hard place to get out of. Think about it! I thought if I could go to the past then I would go back and get the young me and my Family since they have all pass away and bring them to the present day and tell myself and them what has happen to all of us so it would give us a opportunity to change the things that cost me my health took them early in their in life. Then do this for my self every 30 years are so then I would be able to know what happens in our future

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by wddycus

OK I believe one day we might be able to travel back in time but if this is possible when we go back we will not be able to change the future. You will be able to change that part of time but I believe we will be unable to affect the future because you can not change something that has all ready happen and I also believe we will be unable to travel to the future how can you go somewhere that has not happen if you was able to go to the future than you would go into nothingness that would be a hard place to get out of. Think about it! I thought if I could go to the past then I would go back and get the young me and my Family since they have all pass away and bring them to the present day and tell myself and them what has happen to all of us so it would give us a opportunity to change the things that cost me my health took them early in their in life. Then do this for my self every 30 years are so then I would be able to know what happens in our future

Traveling to the future is easy At least in principle. All you have to do is travel at a sizable percentage of the speed of light and you will travel to the future, getting back is another matter. As for traveling back in time I remember reading a story about time travel, the idea was that a time traveler from the future changed time but the change actually brought about the future the time traveler was from. Kind of a closed loop, taking that to the extreme and ignoring causality maybe you could go back and create the future you came from

[wddycus]

Michael that sound good in theory but how can you go somewhere in time that has not happen like Spock would said thats not logical. But this universe is getting more illogical everyday the more I study about the universe the more I say WOW.
Dan

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by wddycus

Michael that sound good in theory but how can you go somewhere in time that has not happen like Spock would said thats not logical. But this universe is getting more illogical everyday the more I study about the universe the more I say WOW.
Dan

Well obviously going back in time and changing the future to assure your own time line is a big stretch. It has been the basis of several science fiction stories. It goes something like this, a man (or woman) goes back in time to do something or observe something and make a concentrated effort to not change the future but disaster strikes and they end up changing the time line anyway. but when they go back they find the change was actually what caused the future. usually one of those strange twist type stories. One really good one was "The Final Countdown" where an nuclear aircraft carrier is transported back to the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. they end up killing someone who seemed to be important and when they tried to prevent the attack they were whisked back to the present but they left two people back in the past. It turns out one of the people actually designed the aircraft carrier.

[Ramkumara]

Originally Posted by wddycus

OK I believe one day we might be able to travel back in time but if this is possible when we go back we will not be able to change the future. You will be able to change that part of time but I believe we will be unable to affect the future because you can not change something that has all ready happen and I also believe we will be unable to travel to the future how can you go somewhere that has not happen if you was able to go to the future than you would go into nothingness that would be a hard place to get out of. Think about it! I thought if I could go to the past then I would go back and get the young me and my Family since they have all pass away and bring them to the present day and tell myself and them what has happen to all of us so it would give us a opportunity to change the things that cost me my health took them early in their in life. Then do this for my self every 30 years are so then I would be able to know what happens in our future

You are assuming that your present is real then. If you can travel back in time, then your current present becomes future. As you said how can future exists, when you aren't there yet. It contradicts causality. Universe do not tolorate contradictions. That is why travelling back in time is not possible.
On the other hand, travelling into the future is quite possible, atleast theoritically. Travelling into the future does not mean that jumping into the future, just like that from the present. When you travel at a speed that is comparable to that of light, your time moves relatively slower than others. So when you get back after few months of travel, you will be just months older and others in this world would have grown years older. That is how you can travel into future. As you increase your travel speed or time, you will end up living with the future generations if the earth and humans had survived till then.