The Physics of Time TravelFrom MicaThe Physics of Time Travel A talk by Dave Goldberg (Drexel University) Virtually everything we know about how time works was described by Einstein in his general theory of relativity, and as it turns out, Einstein's equations admit of a number of solutions with "closed time-like curves" -- or time machines. I will explore the fundamental physics underlying time as we currently understand it, and will describe how general relativity several "practical" designs for time machines. I will conclude with a discussion of the philosophical issues and paradoxes raised by time travel scenarios, in an effort to distinguish between science fiction that is fundamentally impossible from that which is merely staggeringly out of reach. Dave's book A User's Guide to the Universe is available at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Users-Guide-Universe-Surviving-Uncertainty/dp/0470496517 Media1) Slides 3) Videos Mentioned in the talk: http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_twin.avi http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_wormhole_timemachine.avi http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_polchinski.avi http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_polchinski_resolved.avi Animated GIF versions of those videos are also available: http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_twin.gif http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_wormhole_timemachine.gif http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_polchinski.gif http://www.usersguidetotheuniverse.com/video/movie_polchinski_resolved.gif |
