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Researcher uses math to investigate possibility of time travel
phys.org ^ | April 27, 2017 | Provided by: University of British Columbia

Posted on 04/28/2017 1:16:00 PM PDT by 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


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: relativity; timemachine; timetravel
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To: HLPhat

Get lost clown. Your arrogant crap is old. The DUmp is waiting for you noobie jerk. Keep ‘em coming!


201 posted on 05/03/2017 12:22:44 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: bobby.223

When was the last time you posted anything that indicated the eigenstate of your 2 (two) dendrites was > 0?


202 posted on 05/03/2017 12:28:14 PM PDT by HLPhat (It takes a Republic TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS - not a populist Tyranny of the Majority)
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To: HLPhat

Keep ‘em coming! You impress nobody here on FR. (You must think you do and that is why you are so pathetic.) To conceited to figure that out either I guess. Now get lost arrogant DU noobie troll.


203 posted on 05/03/2017 12:32:18 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: bobby.223

>> You impress nobody here on FR.

Except you.

But then, you’re nobody.


204 posted on 05/03/2017 12:39:34 PM PDT by HLPhat (It takes a Republic TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS - not a populist Tyranny of the Majority)
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To: HLPhat

Get lost clown. The day an arrogant conceited punk like you could impress me, (Or any other long time FReeper for that matter), are never going to arrive. Go back to the DUmp noobie snob jerk. Back to work!


205 posted on 05/03/2017 12:42:19 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: HLPhat

Slowing down clown? Cars at the drive up window a hinder? arrogant noob jerk.


206 posted on 05/03/2017 12:44:58 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: bobby.223
>>The day an arrogant conceited punk like you could impress me, (Or any other long time FReeper for that matter), are never going to arrive.
 
What being obsessively "not impressed" looks like:
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:bobby223/index?tab=comments;brevity=full;options=no-change
 

ver·big·er·a·tion

  (vər-bĭj′ə-rā′shən)
n.
Obsessive repetition of words and phrases, especially as a symptom of mental illness.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/verbigeration
 

207 posted on 05/03/2017 12:49:43 PM PDT by HLPhat (It takes a Republic TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS - not a populist Tyranny of the Majority)
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To: HLPhat

Give it up! You are not making an progress at all. Now get lost noob DU jerk.


208 posted on 05/03/2017 12:51:18 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: HLPhat; bobby.223

Why don’t you two guys knock it off......You’ve both successfully hijacked this thread.


209 posted on 05/03/2017 12:55:24 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: Hot Tabasco

I’m perfectly content to discuss why today’s popular culture accepts Time Travel on the basis of Hollywood’s psychosis inducing fiction - as opposed to 2nd Graders back circa 1967, who were able to understand what happens to T and M when E approaches infinity... and knew Time Travel was... FICTION.


210 posted on 05/03/2017 1:03:32 PM PDT by HLPhat (It takes a Republic TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS - not a populist Tyranny of the Majority)
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To: Hot Tabasco
 
"According to my opinion, and the opinions of many defectors of my caliber, only about 15% of time, money, and manpower is spent on espionage as such. The other 85% is a slow process which we call either ideological subversion, active measures, or psychological warfare.
 
What it basically means is: to change the perception of reality of every American that despite of the abundance of information no one is able to come to sensible conclusions in the interest of defending themselves, their families, their community, and their country.
 
It's a great brainwashing process which goes very slow and is divided into four basic stages.
 
The first stage being "demoralization".
 
It takes from 15 to 20 years to demoralize a nation. Why that many years? Because this is the minimum number of years required to educate one generation of students in the country of your enemy exposed to the ideology of [their] enemy. In other words, Marxism-Leninism ideology is being pumped into the soft heads of at least 3 generation of American students without being challenged or counterbalanced by the basic values of Americanism; American patriotism.
 
Most of the activity of the department [KGB] was to compile huge amount / volume of information, on individuals who were instrumental in creating public opinion.  Publisher, editors, journalists, uh actors, educationalists, professors of political science.  Members of parliament, representatives of business circles. 
 
Most of these people were divided roughly into two groups:  those who would tow the Soviet foreign policy, they would be promoted to positions of power through media and public manipulation;  [and] those who refuse the Soviet influence in their own country would be character assassinated OR executed physically, come Revolution.  "
--KGB Defector Yuri Bezmenov
--Soviet Subversion of the Free Press (Ideological subversion, Destabilization, CRISIS - and the KGB)
 
 

211 posted on 05/03/2017 1:36:24 PM PDT by HLPhat (It takes a Republic TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS - not a populist Tyranny of the Majority)
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To: Hot Tabasco

Good point HT. It IS pointless to try and talk to someone who’s ignorance evidently led them to believe that the transcript snip of an old ‘Star Trek’ time travel episode I posted up thread, as a spoof or gag type post, was anything other than that! Good God! Time travel has never been possible and never will be. Done and out HT.


212 posted on 05/03/2017 1:42:10 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: Flash Bazbeaux

“I’ve been time traveling my entire life.

In one direction, and at a constant rate.”

_________________________

That is profoundly true.


213 posted on 05/07/2017 6:44:25 PM PDT by Canedawg (from FUBO to MAGA!)
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To: SaveFerris
She scoffed. She left. She got slaughtered by the exam, of course.

Yeah, but she got a date. Did you? ;-)

214 posted on 05/09/2017 9:48:23 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: Red Badger
I remember that story too.

"...and may each of you fry in Hell forever. Arrest rescinded."

Of course, now we have the Internet, which accomplishes the same thing.

215 posted on 05/09/2017 9:50:26 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: fr_freak
Here, go read Chesterton's The Three Horsemen of Apocalypse:

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0500421h.html#c01

216 posted on 05/09/2017 9:57:15 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: grey_whiskers

Not that night, LOL. Good one.

I did however finish first across 2 sections of classes. Surprised even the guy who asked me (thank God) to join the study group, which was amazing since I wasn’t doing too well after the first exam nor the first lab practical. Like I say, this guy was tough. Still teaching, too.

When he saw my test score, he came running 1/2 way across campus to tell me about my score in person where I was working (for the school). Even beat the guy who asked me to join his study group.

I finally got an A. Whew

Don’t ask about my French classes; especially later. Ouch.


217 posted on 05/09/2017 9:59:11 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: bobby.223

Yes, but it was an F-104 Starfighter.

Did they change it in later versions?


218 posted on 05/09/2017 10:00:37 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: Hot Tabasco
IOPscience journal Classical and Quantum Gravity.

There's a reason why I don't have a subscription to that publication..........

I've always preferred the swimsuit issue of Chemical Abstracts myself...

219 posted on 05/09/2017 10:03:41 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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