Grandfather paradox: Why is time travel so fascinating?
The competency to jump backwards and forward in time has long fascinated physicists and science fiction writers over many decades. The notion of time travel has been showcased in science fiction movies where a description of a hypothetical device, which is known as a time machine, enables fictional characters to travel forward and backwards in time, which fascinated theoretical physicists to figure out its possibility in the near future.
There is uncertainty about whether travelling back in time is physically possible or not. The time travel to the future is far beyond the usual sense of the perception of time, which might be an extensively observed phenomenon. This is well understood in the framework of general relativity and special relativity.
Nevertheless, as of now, our technologies are not capable of travelling close to the speed of light, which requires a device that could make any object that resides on it advance or delay more than a few milliseconds compared to others. Since light travels at a constant speed of about 3 x 10^8 m/s, for any object in the universe to travel at the speed of light is not possible, which was described by Albert Einstein in his theory of relativity.
On the other hand, there will be a possibility of backward time travel as general relativity countenance for it like a revolving black hole. Besides that, travelling at an arbitrary point in space-time is mostly not mentioned within theoretical physics and is particularly established by wormholes.
Backward time travel is theoretically possible as certain general relativity space-time geometrics allow travelling faster than the speed of light through Alcubierre drives and wormholes. However, the general theory of relativity does recommend a scientific baseline for the likelihood of travel to the past in situations that are very infrequent. Besides that, the argument, which is propelled by semiclassical gravity, forced well-known theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking to frame chronology protection conjecture.
In quantum mechanics, phenomena like quantum entanglement and teleportation might seem to develop a mechanism that facilitates faster-than-light communication. Also, few interpretations of quantum mechanics deduce that information is exchanged between sub-atomic particles instantaneously to uphold the association between particles, which is widely known as “spooky action at a distance”, which was named by Albert Einstein. However, fundamental laws that are applicable and govern in the quantum realm are difficult to result in modern “quantum field theories”. As a result, such theories do not allow for time travel.
What is the grandfather paradox?
Travelling backwards and forward in time is identified as one of the complex phenomena which still yet to be understood critically as certain paradoxes have blurred its possibility. One such paradox is known as the “Grandfather Paradox”, this “Grandfather Paradox” indicates the problem arising from the influence of time travel on causality.
According to “Grandfather Paradox”, a cause must follow its effect and be eradicated by its own influence. As a result, preventing its cause as well as basically becoming the opposite action. Therefore, the grandfather paradox is proved to be an unexplainable situation concerning time travel, this “Grandfather Paradox” provides a notion about the situation regarding the backward time travel that enables travellers to jump back in time and kill their own biological grandfather.
This contradicts the existence of the time traveller who travels back in time and kills his or her own grandfather. Hence, it has questioned the existence of a time traveller, which makes physicists and philosophers seriously think about the grandfather paradox when Einstein’s theories of general and special relativity indicate that time travel might be theoretically possible.
In addition to that, Einstein has taken this notion with general relativity, which shows that space-time itself can be shaped by energy and gravity as a result of the distortion of space-time. The idea that space and time were no longer static stages in which the events of the universe played out earned general relativity the substitute name for the Geometric theory of gravity.
Closed timelike curves (CTCs)
Closed timelike curves (CTC) are identified as one of the most controversial facets of modern physics as authentic solutions to Einstein’s field equations, which enable time travel that instinctively looks paradoxical. As speculations are surrounded by time travel, particularly backward time travel, the Closed timelike seems to contain no restrictions on travelling backwards through time. In mathematical physics, a closed timelike curve (CTC) may be possible based on a theory of general relativity which was proposed by Einstein, which indicates that gravity as a distortion of space-time.
For instance, an extremely influential gravitational field, which is induced by rotating black holds, could wrap the fabric of space-time, which would create a closed timelike curve (CTC), a time loop that may be navigated to travel back in time. However, Stephen Hawking and various other physicists identify CTCs as objectionable since any macroscopic object travelling through one would inescapably create paradoxes where cause and effect failed to describe this entire phenomenon, which is surrounded by time travel.
FAQ
1. Is backward time travel possible?
Travelling at an arbitrary point in space-time is mostly not mentioned within theoretical physics and is particularly established by wormholes. Backward time travel is theoretically possible as certain general relativity space-time geometrics allow travelling faster than the speed of light through Alcubierre drives and wormholes. However, the grandfather paradox contradicts the existence of the time traveller who travels back in time and kills his or her own grandfather, which is paradoxical.
2. Is the grandfather paradox contradicting the idea of backward time travel?
Yes, the grandfather paradox is proved to be an unexplainable situation concerning time travel, which provides a notion about the situation regarding the backward time travel that enables travellers to jump back in time and kill their own biological grandfather.
