This scientist claims to know how to time travel
What's the story
The concept of time travel has been the plot point of many sci-fi movies, but when it comes to the real world, it is nothing but an unfulfilled dream restricted by the hard laws of physics. However, one scientist thinks otherwise and claims to have found a way that could eventually help humans build a machine to go back/forward in time. Here's more.
Current scenario
Theoretically, it is possible to travel into the future
According to Einstein's special theory of relativity, time accelerates/decelerates depending on the speed of an object. So, theoretically, if someone traverses space at the speed of light, time would pass more slowly for them than for those on Earth. And, when they'd return, they'd be just a few years older but decades would've passed on Earth - meaning time travel to the future.
Problem
However, there's no tech and no way to go back
While a majority of physicists accept that it is possible to go into the future, there's no feasible way to develop a tech that could allow humans to navigate space at light speeds at present. Additionally, even if one manages to travel that fast somehow, no law of physics suggests a way to go back in time and return to the present.
Solution
Ron Mallett thinks he may have a solution
Astrophysicist Ron Mallett from the University of Connecticut thinks that traveling back in time may also be possible, thanks to Einstein's general theory of relativity, which states that the force of gravity we feel is the bending of space-time by a massive object. As per Mallet, if space-time can bend, it can also be twisted, creating a loop/wormhole allowing to go back in time.
Quote
Here's what Mallett said about his idea
"If you can bend space, there is a possibility of you twisting space," Mallett told CNN. "In Einstein's theory, what we call space also involves time -- that's why it's called space-time, whatever it is you do to space also happens to time."
Meaning
This way, he thinks one could navigate to the past
Mallet explains that if space-time is twisted into a loop, one should theoretically be able to travel from the future to the past - and then back to the future. Notably, the astrophysicist also claims to have created a prototype device that uses lasers to create a circulating beam of light that twists space and time - the key component of his time theory.
Work
Equation that could lead to time machine
Along with the prototype, Mallett has also written an equation that proves his idea and could serve as the foundation of a time machine. However, he also emphasizes that if the device comes to life, in the current avatar, it would have a severe limitation - you could send information back but only to the point at which you turn the machine on.
Information
Mallett hopes to see deceased father
While Mallett's colleagues remain skeptical of his work, he hopes to continue working in this direction to find more workarounds and eventually develop a way to go back in time to see his father, who died of a heart attack when he was just 10.