Light cones in faster than light travel

In summary, light cones are a concept in physics that represent the paths that light travels in space and time. In theories of faster than light travel, these light cones would be able to expand beyond the speed of light, allowing for the possibility of time travel. However, this goes against the established laws of physics and has not been proven to be possible. Some theories suggest that faster than light travel may be achieved through the manipulation of space-time, but this remains a topic of ongoing research and exploration.
  • #1
mcmagicman530
11
0
Looking for clarification:
FTL travel is said to imply signals moving backwards in time for some inertial frames. Is this because in certain cases, depending on how much greater than light speed one is able to achieve, someone can signal someone else's "past light cone" in the graphical sense? In other words, if you were to graph someones light cone, in certain cases, would a faster than light signal intercept the "past" light cone and therefore send a signal back in time?
Let me know if i should explain myself better. or please give me a link about Faster than light Travel.
thanks
 
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  • #2
FTL signals from a given point in spacetime always go outside both the past and future light cone of that point. What's true is that if FTL signals work the same way in every frame, then if I send a signal to a friend moving away from me which travels FTL in my frame, and the friend then sends a reply which travels FTL in his frame, it is possible for his reply to enter the past light cone of the original event of my first sending the signal, so I get the reply before I sent the original message. There are some good spacetime diagrams of such a thing here:

http://www.theculture.org/rich/sharpblue/archives/000089.html
 
  • #3
thanks a lot that's what I thought.
 

FAQ: Light cones in faster than light travel

What are light cones in faster than light travel?

Light cones are a visualization tool used in physics to represent the possible paths of particles and information based on the principles of special relativity. They show the maximum speed at which information can travel, which is the speed of light.

Can anything travel faster than light?

According to the current laws of physics, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. This is because as an object approaches the speed of light, its mass increases exponentially and it would require an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it to that speed.

What is the theory of faster than light travel?

The theory of faster than light travel, also known as superluminal travel, proposes the existence of hypothetical particles called tachyons that can travel faster than the speed of light. However, there is currently no experimental evidence to support this theory and it goes against the fundamental principles of special relativity.

What are the potential consequences of faster than light travel?

If faster than light travel were possible, it would have far-reaching implications for our understanding of space and time. It would challenge our current laws of physics and could potentially open up the possibility of time travel and communication across vast distances in a short amount of time.

Is faster than light travel possible?

At this point in time, there is no evidence to suggest that faster than light travel is possible. While it is an intriguing concept, it remains firmly in the realm of science fiction until further scientific advancements are made.

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