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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: Red Badger

I have learned that you can do many things with math that cannot possibly be done physically without physical alteration of the physical objects acted upon, to the possible point of destruction of those objects, depending on the actions the mathematical theory proposes.

In sum, using this guys math theory you could possibly do “time travel” and if it worked, the location where you traveled to would likely see a sudden vapor appear out of nowhere, before it fell to the ground.

So what this nut has created, as a mathematical theory only, is “space time bubble”, which puts the “travel” as only some sort of observer, but not really able to otherwise be physically present in the time they were observing.

One only has to wonder how many “certainties” in the mathematical model are as “certain” as all the “certainties” in the “global warming” models.


41 posted on 04/28/2017 1:57:46 PM PDT by Wuli
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To: mainestategop

Put in is an Immortal, not a time traveler.


42 posted on 04/28/2017 1:58:54 PM PDT by GreenLanternCorps (Hi! I'm the Dread Pirate Roberts! (TM) Ask about franchise opportunities in your area.)
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To: Red Badger

I would warn myself about 3-4 women in particular.

Oops. Oops. Oops and oops.

Ouch.

LOL


43 posted on 04/28/2017 2:01:52 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: GreenLanternCorps

Putin...

%#*€$&@$/& Spell checker!!!


44 posted on 04/28/2017 2:02:11 PM PDT by GreenLanternCorps (Hi! I'm the Dread Pirate Roberts! (TM) Ask about franchise opportunities in your area.)
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To: Red Badger

Prediction, the first successful time traveler will be found at Kentucky Downs.


45 posted on 04/28/2017 2:02:23 PM PDT by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialists is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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To: TruthWillWin

Churchill Downs.


46 posted on 04/28/2017 2:03:19 PM PDT by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialists is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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To: Red Badger
“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”

Douglas Adams
47 posted on 04/28/2017 2:03:30 PM PDT by The Louiswu (Yes, I am voted for Donald Trump.)
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To: mainestategop

The “Vladimir Triptych” in the middle of your
pictorial post proves one thing conclusively.

Putin looks exactly like a typical Russian.


48 posted on 04/28/2017 2:04:14 PM PDT by shibumi (Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
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To: Red Badger

I’ve been time traveling my entire life.

In one direction, and at a constant rate.


49 posted on 04/28/2017 2:10:01 PM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: Red Badger
All this stuff is way above my average algebra class. With that being said, all the stuff such as this is based on mathematics written on a chalk board.

I've never been able to figure out how mathematical equations ultimately lead up to stuff such as this and the additional worm holes........

50 posted on 04/28/2017 2:11:44 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: Red Badger

It’s hard to take this fella seriously looking like k.d. lang with a bunny on his lapel.


51 posted on 04/28/2017 2:12:25 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Je Suis Pepe)
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To: Wuli

Isaac Asimov covered that angle in his short story “The Dead Past” (1956).

Scientists had developed a ‘time viewer’ that allowed you to ‘see’ into the past, but not travel there.

This technology was closely guarded by the ‘government’ to the point where no one could use it, except big universities and such.

A small town professor of history tried to get allocated time to use the device but was always turned down, like astronomers try getting to use a big telescope.

He eventually circumvented the system by getting plans for the device clandestinely published on what would eventually become the INTERNET [remember this was written in 1956] and everybody now had a chance to build their own time viewer device in their garages.

All this while he was being pursued by government agents trying to stop him from doing this.

Bottom line:

When does the ‘PAST’ begin? A hundred years ago? A hundred seconds ago? A hundred microseconds ago?

What he had done, and the government tried to stop, was build a universal spying machine that could be used to ‘tune in’ the actions of anyone, anywhere, as long as it was ‘in the past’ The limitations of his machine and even the ‘official’ one the government had was 125 years max, and that was fuzzy. The government had published fake ‘discoveries’ over the years that made it look like it could ‘see’ back to ancient times, but it could never do that.

The government agent explained this all to him as he walked out the door and said, “Happy fishbowl everybody!”............


52 posted on 04/28/2017 2:12:35 PM PDT by Red Badger (Profanity is the sound of an ignorant mind trying to express itself.............)
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra
So, if I go back a week in time, where do I rematerialize? Out in space, where the Earth was a week ago?

You are considering that location is relative to time. Einstein theorized that the effect on a person as viewed by an observer, is different than the effect as viewed by the one observed.

Well, regarding time travel, the location of the traveler may be considered a fixed point relative to the traveler even if an observer "views" the platform point of the time traveler as moving. In other words, the time traveler's platform is fixed regardless of his time traveling, so he can go back in time a week and "rematerialize" at the same platform point.

Of course, it won't help if he travels back before the platform existed at that location (like if he were in an airplane in the sky time-traveling without the airplane).

53 posted on 04/28/2017 2:17:06 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: SaveFerris

I would tell my young self to NOT TRUST SO-AND-SO! HE WILL SCREW YOU BIG TIME!.............


54 posted on 04/28/2017 2:18:32 PM PDT by Red Badger (Profanity is the sound of an ignorant mind trying to express itself.............)
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To: usconservative

The only F I ever made in school.

My doctor caliber handwriting didn’t help.

A-B on just about any other subject without cracking a book.

.


55 posted on 04/28/2017 2:19:18 PM PDT by wally_bert (I didn't get where I am today by selling ice cream tasting of bookends, pumice stone & West Germany)
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To: Flash Bazbeaux

You too?!?!?!?!...............


56 posted on 04/28/2017 2:19:24 PM PDT by Red Badger (Profanity is the sound of an ignorant mind trying to express itself.............)
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To: Red Badger

There is about 100 people in this world who could actually tell if this guy is just full of crap, who if he is on to something.

Until then, the other 7.5 billion will have to take his word for it.

“Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he’ll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he’ll have to touch it to be sure”


57 posted on 04/28/2017 2:20:42 PM PDT by skinndogNN
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To: roadcat

Interesting! Thanks.


58 posted on 04/28/2017 2:21:00 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra (Don't touch that thing Don't let anybody touch that thing!I'm a Doctor and I won't touch that thing!)
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To: Red Badger

Don’t look back, I’m gaining on you.


59 posted on 04/28/2017 2:22:09 PM PDT by Flash Bazbeaux
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To: Hot Tabasco

Yes, like how did E=MC^2 WIND UP AS AN NUCLEAR EXPLOSION?.................


60 posted on 04/28/2017 2:22:12 PM PDT by Red Badger (Profanity is the sound of an ignorant mind trying to express itself.............)
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