Researcher uses math to investigate possibility of time travel

phys.org ^ | April 27, 2017 | Provided by: University of British Columbia

[Red Badger]

UBC math and physics instructor, Ben Tippett. Credit: UBC Okanagan

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After some serious number crunching, a UBC researcher has come up with a mathematical model for a viable time machine.

Ben Tippett, a mathematics and physics instructor at UBC's Okanagan campus, recently published a study about the feasibility of time travel. Tippett, whose field of expertise is Einstein's theory of general relativity, studies black holes and science fiction when he's not teaching. Using math and physics, he has created a formula that describes a method for time travel.

"People think of time travel as something as fiction," says Tippett. "And we tend to think it's not possible because we don't actually do it. But, mathematically, it is possible."

Ever since HG Wells published his book Time Machine in 1885, people have been curious about time travel—and scientists have worked to solve or disprove the theory, he says. In 1915 Albert Einstein announced his theory of general relativity, stating that gravitational fields are caused by distortions in the fabric of space and time. More than 100 years later, the LIGO Scientific Collaboration—an international team of physics institutes and research groups—announced the detection of gravitational waves generated by colliding black holes billions of lightyears away, confirming Einstein's theory.

The division of space into three dimensions, with time in a separate dimension by itself, is incorrect, says Tippett. The four dimensions should be imagined simultaneously, where different directions are connected, as a space-time continuum. Using Einstein's theory, Tippett says that the curvature of space-time accounts for the curved orbits of the planets.

In "flat"—or uncurved—space-time, planets and stars would move in straight lines. In the vicinity of a massive star, space-time geometry becomes curved and the straight trajectories of nearby planets will follow the curvature and bend around star.

"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," says 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."

While it is possible to describe this type of time travel using a mathematical equation, Tippett doubts that anyone will ever build a machine to make it work.

"HG Wells popularized the term 'time machine' and he left people with the thought that an explorer would need a 'machine or special box' to actually accomplish time travel," Tippett says. "While is it mathematically feasible, it is not yet possible to build a space-time machine because we need materials—which we call exotic matter—to bend space-time in these impossible ways, but they have yet to be discovered."

For his research, Tippett created a mathematical model of a Traversable Acausal Retrograde Domain in Space-time (TARDIS). He describes it as a bubble of space-time geometry which carries its contents backward and forwards through space and time as it tours a large circular path. The bubble moves through space-time at speeds greater than the speed of light at times, allowing it to move backward in time.

"Studying space-time is both fascinating and problematic. And it's also a fun way to use math and physics," says Tippett. "Experts in my field have been exploring the possibility of mathematical time machines since 1949. And my research presents a new method for doing it."

Tippett's research was recently published in the IOPscience journal Classical and Quantum Gravity.

Explore further: How Einstein could help unlock the mysteries of space travel

More information: Benjamin K Tippett et al. Traversable acausal retrograde domains in spacetime, Classical and Quantum Gravity (2017). DOI: 10.1088/1361-6382/aa6549

[HLPhat]

HLPhat: Please enlighten the class with, in your own words, a summary of the nature ascribed to time by Special Relativity?

Hillbilly.223: { crickets crickets crickets }

[bobby.223]

Get lost noobie. Arrogant conceited snobs such as yourself are not wanted.

[HLPhat]

can’t answer the question without gagging on you own words, can you super genius.

Maybe if you rub your few functional dendrites together hard enough it might dawn on you how the secular humanist FICTION your so fond of gagging on facilitated a cultural psychotic disconnect from reality in the process helping Mizz Sulu and Co navigate the American Enterprise into a demoralized black hole.

[parpower]

Not good at math so, I am waiting to meet extraterrestrials to help me with time travel

[Red Badger]

Otherwise someone from the future would have traveled back to Germany in the 1930s and killed Hitler.

But someone else from the 'future' would travel back in time to stop that person from killing Hitler.

Didn't you see 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'?.................

[Red Badger]

Thanks!...................

[Red Badger]

Broadly speaking, psychosis means a loss of contact with reality; it is a symptom of a number of mental illnesses rather than a medical condition in its own right.

Liberalism, socialism, communism, fascism.........................

[HLPhat]

>>Liberalism, socialism, communism, fascism...

...transhumanism, postgenderism...

The Matrix is much easier to construct when the sheeple willfully participate in their own relocation out of reality-land and into a landscape of self-destructive delusion.

[HLPhat]

E=MC^2

What happens to M (and T) as E approaches infinity?

[bobby.223]

Arrogant damn noob. Finished up your paper route a bit early today huh sonny? Back down into mommie’s basement on the computer again? Freakin’ conceited idiot.

[HLPhat]

Poor hillbilly.

Now you’re just embarrassing yourself.

Please, carry on!

[bobby.223]

Get lost DU Phat boy. Arrogant noob. Go back to where you came from.

[HLPhat]

What happens to M and T as E approaches  ∞, and what is the associative effect upon relative inertia?

Public school 2nd graders back circa 1967 were able to understand and articulate the answer.

But not you.

Gag on that, Jethro.

[bobby.223]

Shove it DU noob. Go back where you came from you conceited Phat boy.

[bobby.223]

I’ll bet you don’t gag do you Phat boy? It goes down easy, right noob?

[HLPhat]

You’re the Gag expert.

Pretty much all you’ve contributed to the discussion here - isn’t it, Jethro.

[bobby.223]

Better get moving noobie. Your night shift job at the Burger joint awaits. Hey arrogant DU Phat boy, you still working the drive up window, or have you moved up to the counter yet? (Wow! You have a paper route AND a burger joint job?! Must be a bitch to still have to work.) Gag on that you conceited jerk. Now, go back to where you came from you snob.

[HLPhat]

The wisdom you gleaned from Gilligan’s Island must be truly earth shattering.

[bobby.223]

Dry up DU Phat boy. It doesn’t take much effort for your young’n butt to act like a complete ass does it noob? Go back to where you game from.

[HLPhat]

Don't feel bad. You're not the only one those 1967 vintage 2nd graders were smarter than...