Let's Talk About Hypothetical Time Travel

[Them]

Ive wondered if this might be an explanation for Ufo's.
We assume they are alien...but maybe they're us..from the future.
If nasa ever makes a robot astronaut that is 4ft tall with large black eyes and grey skin...then we'll know...they are us.

I've heard that theory...Frankly I just don't see mankind lasting long enough to accomplish that feat!

 

[Them]

Distance is nothing but a movie of our past playing at the speed of light!

In theory, this is the only form of time travel into the past!!!! You just have Zero ability to alter it.

...So then a human may not physically travel back in time...but he may be able to re-view it...

 

[Runwildboys]

I was wondering how long of an event it would be to witness a stars death in real time. Does a star magically turn off in a second or does it take hundreds of years for the process. Would we live long enough to see the light go out? Questions like those.

As I said, this one's getting ready to go very soon. They do take a long time to blow. That's what a Red Dwarf is, a dying star...but once it starts to collapse, my understanding is it explodes in a matter of seconds. I think the growing brightness is the gases being pushed away.

 

[Runwildboys]

...So then a human may not physically travel back in time...but he may be able to re-view it...

If we could invent a camera that could instantaneously transmit and set it up far enough away, directed back at Earth, we could use it to see what happened in the past.............so get on that, would ya?

 

[Them]

If we could invent a camera that could instantaneously transmit and set it up far enough away, directed back at Earth, we could use it to see what happened in the past.............so get on that, would ya?

...working on it!...

 

[Tabascocat]

As I said, this one's getting ready to go very soon. They do take a long time to blow. That's what a Red Dwarf is, a dying star...but once it starts to collapse, my understanding is it explodes in a matter of seconds. I think the growing brightness is the gases being pushed away.

Ok, so if it is in seconds......then we just have to be in our front yard at exactly the right time that the speed of light travels X amount of years away to us

 

[Runwildboys]

Ok, so if it is in seconds......then we just have to be in our front yard at exactly the right time that the speed of light travels X amount of years away to us

Actually, the person to get in this conversation would be @cern

 

[YosemiteSam]

In one of my physics classes in college, I will never forget one of his lectures. He basically said that if we went far out enough into the universe, we could see our past through light, not like actually viewing it but theoreticaly. Of course, we would have to catch up to that particular light and pass it up

I would go out there just to see who actually killed Jimmy Hoffa!

 

[DallasEast]

This is a perfect thread for recommending a smartly crafted anime called Steins;Gate. It contains the usual Japanese humor but also examines several time travel concepts--with paradoxes as its central theme.

 

[YosemiteSam]

There's one in the area of Orion's Belt that's expected to go supernova very soon, as in we might get to see it. It's supposed to increase in brightness for I think about a month, until it's nearly as bright as the moon.

I believe you're referring to Betelgeuse. It's part of Orion, but not part of the belt. It's actually the left shoulder star.

It's suspected that it could have already went Supernova over 500 years ago. The problem is, it's around 1,400 light years away so if it did go 500 years ago. We won't know for another 900ish years!

 

[YosemiteSam]

It would be cool to witness one, it would have to be at the very end of its life for us to do so. I imagine that final event would still elapse over hundreds of years.....

We've seen stars go Supernova! I have even taken a before and after picture of one that happened in the Cigar Galaxy. This gif isn't mine, but I do have similar images of both.

The big dot that appears in the galaxy itself is a supernova going off about 12.5 million light years away.

 

[Runwildboys]

I believe you're referring to Betelgeuse. It's part of Orion, but not part of the belt. It's actually the left shoulder star.

It's suspected that it could have already went Supernova over 500 years ago. The problem is, it's around 1,400 light years away so if it did go 500 years ago. We won't know for another 900ish years!

Betelgeuse, yes. How could I forget that name??? I was under the impression it could be visible (the explosion) in our lifetime.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Betelgeuse, yes. How could I forget that name??? I was under the impression it could be visible (the explosion) in our lifetime.

I suppose it could, but the explosion would have to have happened 1,400 years ago which is possible. 1,400 years is a grain of sand in the life of a star which can last million and even several billion years.

 

[cowboyec]

I've heard that theory...Frankly I just don't see mankind lasting long enough to accomplish that feat!

but we've got robots roaming on mars...and little robot probes landing on asteroids...I don't think we're that far away.
I can see nasa saying a mission to mars is to risky for astronauts.....so they roll-out robotic "greys".

 

[nobody]

When you look at the stars, you are literally seeing the past.......That's so awesome!

Okay, technically everything you see is in the past, but some stars are billions of years ago.

You don't even need to look at the stars to see the past. Technically EVERYTHING you see is the past. Light isn't instantaneous and takes time to even travel a few feet. Granted, it's not a lot of time but it's technically not instantaneous either...so technically everything your eyes takes in is the past.

 

[Runwildboys]

You don't even need to look at the stars to see the past. Technically EVERYTHING you see is the past. Light isn't instantaneous and takes time to even travel a few feet. Granted, it's not a lot of time but it's technically not instantaneous either...so technically everything your eyes takes in is the past.

I said that in the very post you quoted.

 

[nobody]

I said that in the very post you quoted.

I blame lack of sleep. haha

 

[Melonfeud]

When you look at the stars, you are literally seeing the past.......That's so awesome!

Okay, technically everything you see is in the past, but some stars are billions of years ago.

I was wondering how long of an event it would be to witness a stars death in real time. Does a star magically turn off in a second or does it take hundreds of years for the process. Would we live long enough to see the light go out? Questions like those.

You guys do know a single light years travelling distance is about 6 trillion miles,right? That's another meaningless tidbit of trivia I've picked up & retained,exactly why, IDK?


The O.P.'S thread is really one of vastly immeasurable ponderations, therefore, I say it's perfectly fine to go back in time& date yer' great great great grandma, you could even whack yer' future bloodlined spouse she was gonna get jiggy with before you showed up in a duel or something, as since yer' already an up& running operational working unit, whacking him just makes him dead,,,NOT YOU!

* and Einstein's given way too much credit, more than he deserves,although the war dept. did pay him to figure out what was the major malfunction involving our early WWII dilemma of torpedo detonation,

 

[Tabascocat]

You guys do know a single light years travelling distance is about 6 trillion miles,right? That's another meaningless tidbit of trivia I've picked up & retained,exactly why, IDK?


The O.P.'S thread is really one of vastly immeasurable ponderations, therefore, I say it's perfectly fine to go back in time& date yer' great great great grandma, you could even whack yer' future bloodlined spouse she was gonna get jiggy with before you showed up in a duel or something, as since yer' already an up& running operational working unit, whacking him just makes him dead,,,NOT YOU!

* and Einstein's given way too much credit, more than he deserves,although the war dept. did pay him to figure out what was the major malfunction involving our early WWII dilemma of torpedo detonation,

Yes but maybe we can see it if we catch the end of that 6 trillion mile journey

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Some months ago, I did read an article that actually suggests that traveling back in time, is indeed, theoretically possible. Don't ask me to explain it, I have a policy never to try and hurt my brain on a Friday. I will need every single brain cell, just in case I decide to drink a few over the weekend.