Time Travel Will be Easy

To travel through time, you can open a wormhole in space- time and step through it. All you need is some "exotic matter," which is repelled, rather than attracted, by gravity. The problem is, no one knows how to make exotic matter. But New Zealand researcher Matt Visser thinks we'll learn how to make it soon�then we'll be ready to travel in time. Wormholes are hypothetical tunnels that connect distant parts of space-time. Einstein's theory of general relativity says they exist, but in order to stay open, they need exotic matter. Quantum theory says that subatomic particles and their antiparticles pop in and out of existence all the time in the vacuum of space. Exotic matter might be created by suppressing this action.
Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking says that even if we could make a wormhole that was stabilized by exotic matter, we couldn't go through it to time travel, because even a single atomic particle would destabilize it. Does this mean we'd go back in time and never get home to the present again? But physicists have found a way to solve this problem, using the "time loops" inside a wormhole so we can travel backwards in time without being able to change anything that would alter the future. In other words, we'll be able to travel back in time, but we won't be able to kill off our grandparents (which would mean we wouldn't exist).

www.unknowncountry.com...

Dragonrider - I'll have to disagree with the fact that I think wormholes are gates in time, I think they are the outcome of lack of space. thats all, but who knows its just theory.

I would theorize that in order to get exotic matter, you must first know where to find it, most likely I think behind a black hole. In an area where time doesn't move. You have to see the results of exotic matter in order to deshiper it.

Maybe exotic matter is a new element, who knows.

Then again a black whole could be the enterance in time and a wormhole the exit.

To many theories, need a beer.

I honestly dont know enough to offer much of an opinion on it. I just thought it was a very good article, and thought we might get some good debate on it.

Also, Ive had a few drinks, so not up to concentrating on it that hard

Creating a loop hole in a worm hole huh? Ok first things first have the dimentions of what is identifed as being a wormhole been identifed and if so where is this infomation?
I also am wondering if this man has indentifed how many different pathways of time there are? The reason for this is simple. We have been so far been able to establish that when we first discovered the body had things like cells such as red blood cells we also later found somthing called dna. Then came rna. What we find is no matter what we think we know or what can be seen as what we think we know is never really decided. More infomation and discoverys are made everyday. When it comes to what we have found so far just with dna. We find that there is a small amount of what we are made of in realation to some of the other species living on this planet. In other words not much variation in the different species when it comes to dna. But still it makes a different animal or species of some sort. I would like to know if the scientist in this matter has identifed the different dimentions relating to time travel or even the dimentions that exist and phase out of existance in a worm hole. With out knowing the spacifics. It is very likly if a expirement like this were take place I would cause a ripe in the ballence between space and time. And I dont know how or what the means would be in trying to fix somthing like that. Also what happens to the matter when a worm hole disappears? It has to go somewhere. Taking into the fact we know that just dna for example really cannot make a exact copy of a person. The same thing realisticy would be the case in dealing with a wormhole. Once closed. The matter or rather both the matter and the dimentions would not be the same upon reopening of the wormhole. That or just buy the closing of a wormhole other dimentions as well as the fabric of space and time would be effected.

Do we really have a right to possibly alter the fabric of time? We as a species have already screwed up enough things here on the dirt ball" dirtball=earth. The idea of changing the fabric of somthing that quite possibly existed before we did is somthing I think we should try to avoid.

Intersting artical.

Falcon

I think wormholes and blackholes are a gateway to another universe, let's just hope that in our pursuit of knowledge we don't awaken Azathoth or something like that...

From what I understand blackhole's are gateway's to other universe's, it depend's on what type of blackhole and how you navigate it. Wormhole's are gateway's to other point's within this universe. You can also take one end, the exit point and move it around, say 500 light year's, when you go through the entrance and out the exit you'll be 500 year's into the past. Soooo ... say you moved the exit around 500 light year's, and brought it around to withing one light year of the entrance, you'd travel 500 year's into the past before you even entered the wormhole. I don't understand it fully, but that's just one theory I heard ...

Please correct me if I`m wrong but I was under the impression that Wormholes are a theoretical possibility of the manipulation space and time. They have not been observed and have not been constructed just postulated so how can we know the true nature of them?

As the article says

�So until someone figures out how to get hold of it (not to mention how to open up a wormhole in the first place), "

Originally posted by cassini
Please correct me if I`m wrong but I was under the impression that Wormholes are a theoretical possibility of the manipulation space and time. They have not been observed and have not been constructed just postulated so how can we know the true nature of them?

Quite correct. They're hypothesized... but a lot of hypothetical things were proven to be false ("aether" in outer space is a prime example.)

We don't know if they'll have anything to do with time.

microscopic wormhole's do exist. I know macroscopic wormhole's haven't been found *yet* though ... But say some ET civilization found a way to create and utilize them, we'd still have trouble finding even one in operation. Due to the power needed to open a hole, I'm sure they could leave it open only long enough for a ship or small fleet to pass through.

hmm ok fine say we get this wormhole open it and everythings all la-di-da but how do we go thru I mean this thing sucks in light and all mater wouldnt the hull of the ship be destabilized and the crew die?????

Your thinking of a blackhole. A wormhole is different. It connect's two point's in space and time. Pumping exotic matter into a wormhole create's an "anti-gravity" field inside it which is what open's it up big enough for a ship to pass through.

Ok ok hold on I'm the worst when it comes to this kind of stuff but is't anti gravity that stuff that pushes back on gravity

[Edited on 5-6-2003 by Virus]

Originally posted by e-nonymous
microscopic wormhole's do exist.

Sources? I haven't seen any news reports or physics papers in the standard scientific literature saying that they've been created. I will admit that I don't know everything, so if there's some good material in reputable physics journals, I'd like to read it.

(I'm just curious... I really haven't kept up with this and would appreciate some newspaper articles with the announcements. I am suspicious of websites, however, since we see all sorts of nonsense on websites!)

this may be a stupid question but how would one open a wormhole to a specific location?
I mean, if we have a certain destination in mind, how do we get a wormhole to open right to it??

"this may be a stupid question but how would one open a wormhole to a specific location?
I mean, if we have a certain destination in mind, how do we get a wormhole to open right to it??"

Don`t worry at all, its far from stupid. No one knows is the only answer to that. I`m sure when they can make one your question will be answered. I`ve never seen any speculation on how one might direct a wormhole just speculation on their existence and possible properties.

I don't have any link's, and it's been awhile since I read about them. I don't think I read they were real real, but that there was pretty much no duobt's that they do exist. It was in a science journal, that I do remember

Its an interesting subject although i think wormholes do cause a time and space distortian, matter traveling from one place to another can cause big events... if i rember corectly thats supposebly how the big bang was created. As for the exotic matter or anti matter, thats a weired if it creates wormholes of blackholes it will disapear which is why we dont know if it exists so what are the chance we will be able to find in during our lifetime... Not a chance we can harness the power of time travel anytime soon

This type of hypothetical speculaton concerning the metaphysical mathematic therom of the universe and sub atomic particles, is better suited to a man restrained to a wheel chair, and a few New Zealander's.

This type of procrastination only leads to 'time-wasting' and 'flights-of-fancy'.

You'all have to much spare time.



Nah! really this is a really interesting subject.

I agree with e-nonomyus, and go further, to say, that one must think of the Universe as a bowl (or for that bowls) of meatball spaggetti . For this is the way.

Nah! its true a bowl of meatball spaggetti.

Falcon:

"Creating a loop hole in a worm hole huh? Ok first things first have the dimentions of what is identifed as being a wormhole been identifed and if so where is this infomation?"

A wormhole is not a dimension, it is a connection between two points bent together by the use of gravity.
-----
From Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online:
Main Entry: worm��hole
Pronunciation: 'w&rm-"hOl
Function: noun
Date: 1593
1 : a hole or passage burrowed by a worm
2 : a hypothetical structure of space-time envisioned as a long thin tunnel connecting points that are separated in space and time
-----
From wordreference.com:
wormhole ['wɜ��mˌhəʊl]
noun
1 a hole made by a worm in timber, plants, etc.

2 (Physics) a tunnel in the geometry of space--time postulated to connect different parts of the universe
'worm"holed adjective
-----
Since wormhole have such vague definitions here, understand that many improper interpretations can be applied if the science is incorrect.

Here is an article from Scientific American in 1997 that helps to answer many technical questions to proof for the existence of wormholes:
Wormhole Q&A


"I would like to know if the scientist in this matter has identifed the different dimentions relating to time travel or even the dimentions that exist and phase out of existance in a worm hole."

That is a loaded question with many assumptions. Dimensions do not necessarily phase in and out, but exist whether they are seen and understood or not. Time travel would be dictated by the 4th mathematical dimension and maybe the 5th. Wormholes are not time machines, which I believe is the problem with that article. Wormholes are faster-than-light traveling methods, but not machines for time travel. Time travel is a matter of moving forward or backward in a particular timeline, not so much a matter of space travel. Yes, spacetime are one, but don't confuse spacetime that is far away with that of the past. Distance and time are not measured by the same units.


"It is very likly if a expirement like this were take place I would cause a ripe in the ballence between space and time."

No it would not. Space and time are linked as a type of multi-dimensional fabric (spacetime). If you rip apart spacetime, you'll have 2 spacetimes. I don't even want to say that as if you can comprehend what will really happen, but know that space and time are separate ways of looking at the same spacial fabric.

"Also what happens to the matter when a worm hole disappears?"

Like all things crushed by gravity, it will be pancaked.

"It has to go somewhere."

Yes, it will be a pancake wherever the wormhole collapsed on it or will be a pancake at whichever end the wormhole pushes it out.

"Taking into the fact we know that just dna for example really cannot make a exact copy of a person."

Yes it can, in physical terms... we just aren't that good at cloning.

"The same thing realisticy would be the case in dealing with a wormhole."

You are making an odd comparison. Wormholes run on the laws of gravity and quantum mechanics, not the structure of DNA. DNA is just a fancy term for a dual structure of proteins... simplistic organic computer language, if you will. The problem with making a person is that the strands are extremely long and get complex with more variables thrown in. Again, don't confuse gravity with proteins.

"Once closed. The matter or rather both the matter and the dimentions would not be the same upon reopening of the wormhole."

Are you talking spacial dimensions for measurement, such as the wormhole being 20' in diameter? Or are you talking the physical structure of a dimension itself?


"Do we really have a right to possibly alter the fabric of time?"

Aliens probably do it all of the time (assuming at least 1 million intelligent species statistically exist). Why should we be any different? Why wouldn't we have the right to play with the fabric of time?

"We as a species have already screwed up enough things here on the dirt ball" dirtball=earth. The idea of changing the fabric of somthing that quite possibly existed before we did is somthing I think we should try to avoid."

Oh, where's your explorer spirit? How does one evolve by standing still? Answer: they don't, they just die off. this dirtball should not be our prison, in my opinion. I'd love to see the days of Star Trek and Star Wars combined. Honestly, we are only a few hundred years away from that dream, IMHO, assuming we don't fry ourselves in a gigantic war.


Byrd:

"[wormholes are scientifically possible]Quite correct. They're hypothesized... but a lot of hypothetical things were proven to be false ("aether" in outer space is a prime example.)

We don't know if they'll have anything to do with time."

Aether has not been proven false to any degree of accuracy. An attempt to prove it false came in the 1950s (I think)? Since then, scientists have left it alone, but Einstein used it to formulate many of his most famous theories. The idea is that sound waves bounce off air molecules so that your eardrums can hear it, so light waves must rub on aetheric space so that your eyes can see it. Of course, this is a very primative way of looking at it, but it was a good way for Einstein to explain the effect. Aether is still a possibility, but we have no idea how to start looking for it, despite multiple attempts.

Wormholes have been proven mathematically possible, the same as blackholes.. the resources to make them, however, are extremely difficult (currently impossible) to come by.