Physicist believes we will travel through time this century

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by futuretalk

The LHC smashes particles into each other traveling at light speeds

Actually, the particles are usually measured by their energy, rather than speed for very practical reasons. The LHC will be able to run experiments with particles of energies in the 3 terahertz range (I hope I have that right, someone please correct me if I'm off).

These particles are travelling very close to the speed of light, but they never reach it. It would take an infinite amount of energy to accelerate a particle to light speed. Not likely to happen anytime soon, if ever.

which cause collisions that scientists theorize can create tiny black holes and wormholes; elements that some predict offer the best chance to prove the concept of time travel.

We'll see. I don't expect any revelations on the concept of time and travel thereof. The black holes that are theorized are only theorized to explain the apparent loss of energy. There is absolutely no direct evidence of their existence. But, like I said, we'll see.

Princeton University’s Richard Gott describes wormholes as shortcuts through space and time that connect two distant points, like a worm tunnel through an apple. “You can jump into a wormhole and instantly pop out somewhere else in the universe, or into another time. You’ve gone through a tunnel that connects two places in spacetime.”

Physicist Kip Thorne, in an article published in Physical Review Letters was the first to give respect to time travel. While acknowledging that it may be years before humanity develops this technology, Thorne concluded: “From a single wormhole an advanced civilization could one day construct a machine for backward time travel.”

Though the laws of physics do not forbid time travel, the idea has many problems. Say we travel back in time and stop our parents from getting together. This would prevent us from being born; we could not exist, thus our journey in time couldn’t happen. Scientists call this a paradox. We created a present different from the one that already exists.

Wormholes and such aside, the last paragraph pretty much puts the nail in the coffin. If time travel were possible and we did one day figure out how to use it, we would surely have traveled back in time. It would be highly likely that we would leave evidence behind at some point. Maybe not though. Maybe humans finally mature and take advabtage of wisdom and acquire the knowledge of time travel along with peaceful non-interference morals. So, they would be able to travel in time, but would feel morally obligated not to. I really hope that's the case. Otherwise, we never figured it out.

Clearly, mischievous time travelers cannot change the present. People are not suddenly disappearing because a rerun of events has prevented their birth. Therefore, something is stopping time travelers from changing our present, and physicist Michio Kaku and other forward thinkers believe they know what it is – parallel universes.

This holds that our universe is surrounded by an infinite number of other universes, each one slightly different. If you travel through time and prevent your parents from meeting, you are thrust into a parallel universe where you never existed before; you appear only as a time traveler.

However if time travel has not been developed in your new universe, you could be stranded forever in a world without family and friends.

Longing to visit departed relatives or foil atrocities are the main reasons that keep the dream of time travel alive. But gaining in popularity is the hope that one day we could go back in time and scan the consciousness of lost loved ones before they died, and with tomorrow’s advanced technologies, allow them to continue living in our time.

We dream of a breathtaking “magical future,” and we ponder the wonders that lie ahead as we get closer to the 22nd century? Will time travel become part of our future? Only time will tell.

We'll see.

[futuretalk]

I do not believe the controlling factor in preventing time travelers from altering the past to create a different present is morality. I would rather side with Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku and others who believe that parallel worlds exist and should a time traveler upset the past, he (or she) would immediately be tossed into another universe, and could be stuck there forever. I think physics will provide the incentive, not morals.

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by futuretalk

I do not believe the controlling factor in preventing time travelers from altering the past to create a different present is morality.

I agree with you at present, yet neither of us is a future human (or so I assume).

I would rather side with Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku and others who believe that parallel worlds exist and should a time traveler upset the past, he (or she) would immediately be tossed into another universe, and could be stuck there forever.

I like that idea, but it's ultimately unconvincing. We can ponder what-ifs all day, but where is the proof?

I think physics will provide the incentive, not morals.

I agree. The dis-incentive could still possibly be morals though (as long as were talking what-ifs).

[futuretalk]

Talking about traversing wormholes, FTL travel, and jumping through time is only speculation. But I have to admit, it’s lots of fun.

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by futuretalk

Talking about traversing wormholes, FTL travel, and jumping through time is only speculation. But I have to admit, it’s lots of fun.

It certainly is. I apologize for making it seem like an exercise in futility. Upon re-reading my last post, I would have said it differently. We certainly can never time travel if it is always a "what if".

Can you please elaborate on Kaku's views regarding time travel and parallel universes?

[futuretalk]

Many physicists believe that an infinite number of universes exist in the cosmos. Many are nearly identical with only very slight differences – Hitler won WW2, etc.

The thought is that should a time traveler make changes in the past that would result in creating a different present, the time traveler is immediately thrust into a different universe where that new present already exists.

Some day, theorists say, we will actually be able to “universe hop” into other universes. Imagine going to a universe where you exist, but your life is amazing and far better than it is in this universe. We may be given the option of remaining in that new, better universe.

Could this science fiction-like scenario ever become reality? It may be a crap shot, but who knows?

[maddog]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Can you please elaborate on Kaku's views regarding time travel and parallel universes?

I can. Michio Kaku's book, Parallel Worlds does go into length about the Many Worlds concept
of Everett and it's possible implication to String theories (and now M-Theory). I do not
recollect where he would have made reference to having a traveler go to one of them. The
breadth of Kaku's discussion was on the ability to detect such a universe. Apparently String
Theories do not prohibit Multiple Universes. In particular Wheeler's concept of Multiple Universes
make no such restriction upon them as being similar.

maddog

[Tormod]

Marcus Chown touches on this topic in his book "The Universe Next Door", which I didn't really like. He's a good writer but the book is too speculative and sensationalist.

Amazon.com: The Universe Next Door: The Making of...
Amazon.com: The Universe Next Door: The Making of...

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Boy that really sucks .....for a bit there I thought Orby had come back to play.....As to time travel.....sudo science at best, bullshplitz more likely....as valid as saying we'll all meet god and he'll tell us the meaning of life someday.

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

(Which is about as valid as sayin y'all will eagerly worship me and build altars to me in worship of my great wisdom)