Two mathematicians lay claim the logical inconsistency recall to lie at time locomotion ’s spunk does n’t exist , and therefore it ’s theoretically possible one might be able to journey back in time and change reality . unluckily , time traveller might notice the results frustrating .
If clip is plainly the fourth dimension , then it ’s natural to wonder why we ca n’t move through it . “ Einstein ’s theory of general theory of relativity presage the beingness of fourth dimension loops or time travel – where an result can be both in the past and future of itself – theoretically turning the study of dynamics on its head , ” University of Queensland Honors educatee Germain Tobar said in astatement .
Many have been ready to head to the so - send for “ grandfather paradox ” as a reasonableness such travel ca n’t go on . If a time - traveller prevents their grandparent from forgather , they will never live , and therefore never be able to prevent the encounter . Numerous skill fable writers have made their time traveller dance around the job , carefully modify things only in way that do n’t preclude their journeying .
Tobar was inspire by the equations Einstein create to describe these time loops . InClassical and Quantum Gravity , he and his supervisorDr Fabio Costashow there is no coherent requirement for time - travelers to be prevented from make non - trivial change .
“ Say you traveled in time in an endeavour to block Covid-19 ’s patient zero from being scupper to the virus , ” Costasaid . “ However if you stopped that soul from becoming infected – that would eliminate the motivating for you to go back and stop the pandemic in the first place . ”
The duad ’s root entail the universe of discourse would adjust . Although the role model they key out in their paper involves a simplified reality where cause and effect are interpret by billiard balls take a hop off each other , they suggest more complex human environments operate the same elbow room .
“ In the coronavirus patient zero example , you might try and stop patient zero from becoming infected , but in doing so you would catch the computer virus and become patient zero , or someone else would , ” Tobarsaid . Although you might change account , it would only be in such a room you still exist and would want to make such a journey , avoiding any paradox .
Similarly , Tobar say IFLScience , a person who tried to launch themselves into awormholeto travel back in time might escape slightly , damaging one heart in the process , which would then be the reason they could n’t point the hole accurately .
The pandemic example may make potential time - traveler call into question if the journeying is deserving the effort . Tobar acknowledge this but argues the changes might be unpredictable but could still be non - trivial .
If metre travel is possible we might require , in a version ofFermi ’s paradox , why travelers from the future have n’t gossip us , even to show up at events where they werespecifically tempt . “ While clip locomotion is logically potential , there could be further restriction , ” Tobar told IFLScience . “ Alternatively , events reset around anything that could cause a paradox so the paradox does not happen , so perhaps someone actually came back but word of honor did not get out . ” Instead of a political science - run cover - up , as conspiracy theorists importune , the laws of physics might be hide the Sojourner Truth .
Tobar impart this employment provides no steering on how to time travel . Nevertheless , it could leaven useful in other ways . The quest forQuantum Gravity , the theory that would unify General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics , is modern cathartic ' holy grail . Costa told IFLScience that while the theme does not directly assist in find Quantum Gravity , the different model for dynamics developed in the composition could be apply to that search .
