DeletedUser
In the many discussions I had with the physics professor in my family, one particular discussion came to mind after reading some of the thoughts posed in the human evolution thread (HERE).
Traveling forward in time may be possible, per the theory of relativity, given velocity or gravity-based time dilation but, based on our present understanding on the laws of physics, traveling back in time is not feasible. However, being able to see back in time is, theoretically, possible.
Assuming Einstein's special theory of relativity is correct, we will be able to utilize future technology that would allow us to travel or communicate faster than light (FTL). How this relates to seeing the future is simple really, but would require FTL that is, at a minimum, more than two times the speed of light (interestingly, at present we are able to hear events twice or more, by traveling beyond the speed of sound).
When we view the stars, or other distant objects, we are not viewing them as they are today, but as they were tens, hundreds, thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years ago. That is because light is not instantaneous and has a rate of speed (300,000 kms per second, minus drag). Basically, light traveling from those distant objects takes time to reach us.
Now, a light year (LY) is a measurement of distance, and relates to how far light can travel in a year, which happens to be about 9,500,000,000,000 kilometers. If we can travel faster than light at two times the speed of light, to a distance of 100 light years, then take a sort of screenshot of earth, and travel back with that information, in one hundred years we'll be able to see what happened 50 years ago.
Running with the assumptions on FTL technology, I think it would be reasonable to also assume simultaneous extensive developments in telescope and light/radar technology. With both of these technologies combined, we can develop an FTL sensor-loaded rocket. And we jump to the year 2060:
Obviously, the problem here is getting that information in a reasonable amount of time. Given this, in order for this sort of Crystal Ball scheme to work, we would need to either shorten the distance traveled, or increase the velocity of the FTL rocket (3x, 4x, or more, faster than the speed of light).
Now here's some interesting uses:
Traveling forward in time may be possible, per the theory of relativity, given velocity or gravity-based time dilation but, based on our present understanding on the laws of physics, traveling back in time is not feasible. However, being able to see back in time is, theoretically, possible.
Assuming Einstein's special theory of relativity is correct, we will be able to utilize future technology that would allow us to travel or communicate faster than light (FTL). How this relates to seeing the future is simple really, but would require FTL that is, at a minimum, more than two times the speed of light (interestingly, at present we are able to hear events twice or more, by traveling beyond the speed of sound).
When we view the stars, or other distant objects, we are not viewing them as they are today, but as they were tens, hundreds, thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years ago. That is because light is not instantaneous and has a rate of speed (300,000 kms per second, minus drag). Basically, light traveling from those distant objects takes time to reach us.
Now, a light year (LY) is a measurement of distance, and relates to how far light can travel in a year, which happens to be about 9,500,000,000,000 kilometers. If we can travel faster than light at two times the speed of light, to a distance of 100 light years, then take a sort of screenshot of earth, and travel back with that information, in one hundred years we'll be able to see what happened 50 years ago.
Running with the assumptions on FTL technology, I think it would be reasonable to also assume simultaneous extensive developments in telescope and light/radar technology. With both of these technologies combined, we can develop an FTL sensor-loaded rocket. And we jump to the year 2060:
In 2060 an FTL rocket (let's call it the “USS Camera”) is launched. It travels two times the speed of light, a distance of 100 light years in only 50 years. Equipped with a variety of sensors, “USS Camera” takes pictures of Earth as it looked 50 years prior to the initial launching and then travels back to Earth (another 50 years), landing in 2160, with photos as Earth looked in the year 2010.
Now here's some interesting uses:
- We would be able to review criminal cases and determine guilt or innocence based on irrefutable "eyewitness" testimony, even going so far as to read heat signatures (heart-rate and/or brain activity), etc.
- We could review debated points of the past, even going so far as to determine if various religious events actually took place.
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