Time travel might not be impossible, according to Lorenzo Gavassino, an Italian physicist at Vanderbilt University.
Inspired by physicist Carlo Rovelli, Gavassino proposed a solution to the “grandfather paradox.” This paradox suggests time travel is impossible because actions in the past could prevent a traveller’s existence.
Gavassino’s research, published in Classical and Quantum Gravity, combines general relativity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics to address the paradox. He argues the paradox assumes thermodynamic laws, which govern energy and entropy, work consistently in all situations. However, this might not apply near black holes, where space-time curves and time loops could theoretically exist.
Quantum Fluctuations
The study suggests extreme conditions near black holes could create quantum fluctuations that disrupt entropy, which measures disorder. Entropy affects processes like aging and memory formation. When entropy decreases, these fluctuations could reverse aging or erase a time traveller’s memories.
This phenomenon could render irreversible events, like killing an ancestor, temporary. The paradox could dissolve, allowing travel through time without contradictions.
Theory, Not Reality
Gavassino’s theory is compelling, but it is unclear if time loops exist in the real universe. The study opens new avenues for exploring time travel, a topic long confined to science fiction. However, practical applications remain far off. For now, stepping into a time machine remains an idea for the imagination.
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