Is Time Travel Possible Beyond the Speed of Light?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of exceeding the speed of light and its implications on time. The individual wonders if a particle traveling at 5 times the speed of light for one year and then stopping would result in it being 5 years in the past from its point of origin. They also question if looking at the stars at night with a signal delay means they are in the past. However, it is noted that this scenario is not possible according to current laws of physics.
  • #1
jonatron5
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I have always been fascinated with physcics ans sciencefiction sadly i haven't had much beyond a high school course of it, my question isthat ,Everyone knows that lights peed represents the universal speedlimit. And from my understanding it's becuase as you add energy to an object you add the mass of the energy to the object as well. And it scales exponentially or maby the better word would be (asymptoticly) to lightspeed.

Now if we take this well established fact and throw it out the window. And say a hypothetical ship or particle somehow exceeds the speed of light then from the particles point of view everything behind it is the past (or at least is the reflection of the past) time for the particle should be incredibly slowed to the point of being instantaneous from a stationary observer. If the particle continues in motion at a rate 5xc for one year then stops abruptly and waits, has the particle travels 5 years into the past from point of origin? Or is the particle simply seeing the light from 5 years in the past and still in the same time as the people at the point of origin would be?

When I go outside at night and look up at the sky the light I'm seeing from stars is not "live" there is a signal delay between me and the star because of the vastness of space. But that doesn't mean I'm in the past to the actual star does it? Surly not , surly the star Continues to burn right this very second. Or is this not the same concept since I did not exceed the light to get here.
 
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Just a thought. I realizedthis might not be possible to answer since our current math says it's impossible to do, like asking what happens when an unmovable object hits an unstoppable force.
[Mentor's note: Post edited to remove personal theory]
 
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  • #3
jonatron5 said:
Now if we take this well established fact and throw it out the window...
If you throw that fact out the window you're throwing the laws of physics out the window with it, because you can't have the laws of physics without that fact. So you can't expect the laws of physics to tell you anything about this situation - you're basically asking "What do the laws of physics say in a situation where they don't apply?"

This thread is closed.
 
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FAQ: Is Time Travel Possible Beyond the Speed of Light?

What is the relationship between light and time?

The relationship between light and time is complex and still not fully understood. However, it is known that the speed of light is a fundamental constant in the universe and plays a crucial role in how we perceive time.

How does light affect the passage of time?

Einstein's theory of relativity states that the speed of light is constant, and time is relative to the observer's frame of reference. This means that the closer an object travels to the speed of light, the slower time passes for that object. Therefore, light can affect the passage of time by altering an object's speed and perception of time.

Can time exist without light?

According to current scientific understanding, time cannot exist without light. This is because the measurement of time is based on the movement of light, and without light, there would be no way to measure the passage of time.

Is time travel possible through light?

While time travel through light is a popular concept in science fiction, it is currently not possible according to our current understanding of physics. The speed of light is the universal speed limit, and no object (including light) can exceed it. Therefore, time travel through light is not possible.

How does our perception of time change as we approach the speed of light?

As we approach the speed of light, our perception of time slows down. This is known as time dilation, a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity. The closer an object travels to the speed of light, the slower time passes for that object, and our perception of time would also slow down if we were traveling at such speeds.

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