Who else is into quantum physics, time travel, etc?

[NPloysa]

My reading up on theoretical physics is getting deeper and deeper!



It first started the first time I saw "Back to the Future". The whole possibility of time travel was pretty interesting to me.



It then lead to the book I just picked up call "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene. Pretty deep!



You know that age old joke, what happens if you are driving at the speed of light and you turn your head lights on? I found the answer!



Well, first of all, you could never approach light speed, since the energy required would be infinity, BUT let's say you could, well, if you turned on your lights, the light would shoot out from your car AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT. It's all relative



Another example, if you were to travel on a spacecraft toward a light on a distant planet at 100 million mph. The light from that source is travelling at you at 670 million mph. You would think, as if on a head-on-collision course for the light, to have the two speeds add up to 770 million mph. Or, if you were to turn and travel AWAY from the light at 100 million mph, the light would approach you at 570 million mph. HOWEVER, in both cases, the light is approaching you at a CONSTANT 670 million mph!



As you approach the speed of light, a high percentage, but never the actual speed, time slows down exponentially with the speed of light. This has been proven many times in particle accelerators and a more "real-life" experiment.



This was a test involving two cesium-beam atomic clocks. One was flown on a commercial aircraft for 40 hours, the other stayed on earth. This was to prove clocks in motion slow down. Well, the clock on plane was slower than the clock on earth by a few billionths of a second.



Anyway, just wanted to share and talk to you guys to see what you think, what your favorite stuff is to read, etc, etc.



Nick

 

[ARedetzke]

Anyway, just wanted to share and talk to you guys to see what you think, what your favorite stuff is to read, etc, etc.



Nick

I like to read stuff that doesn't make my head hurt when I try and comprehend it. My head usually hurts enough from hangovers, I don't need any help in that department.

AJ

 

[Rman]

I read that book a few years back. Very good and kept my attention. I still have it sitting on my book shelf somewhere. Einsteins relativity theory really changed physics, once you can except the difficult concept of it all it's really interesting.

 

[NPloysa]

I read that book a few years back. Very good and kept my attention. I still have it sitting on my book shelf somewhere. Einsteins relativity theory really changed physics, once you can except the difficult concept of it all it's really interesting.

Yeah, very difficult at first to accept. Like light beams shining through two vertical slits that KNOW to make a wave pattern even when one slit is closed.



Sometimes it does make my brain hurt, then I have to put it down!

 

[loncray]

My friends and I have a running debate - about 15 years now - over how many Deloreans were present at different points in the timestream in Back to the Future. It's a lot of fun but unfortunately none of it's feasible with current technology.

 

[Timbeaux38]

But.....

Do you know the Quantum Spin of the Graviton?

 

[rkressg]

I have to say I am a firm believer in string theory.



http://superstringtheory.com/



It combines both the theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics in a plain of only 10 dimensions (26 for Bosonic).



I personally think this theory makes the most sense because it, as of current, proves to be the best possible answer for both the very large and the very small.



-Rich

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I think time travel is neat too. To be able to travel at the speed of light would open up so much space exploration. A light year is an insane amount of distance.



If we were able to travel at the speed of light, how long would it take to get to Mars from the earth? About 35 million miles away.

 

[nickleinonen]

I have to say I am a firm believer in string theory.



http://superstringtheory.com/



It combines both the theory of general relativity and quantum mechanics in a plain of only 10 dimensions (26 for Bosonic).



I personally think this theory makes the most sense because it, as of current, proves to be the best possible answer for both the very large and the very small.



-Rich

i saw a show on string theory a while back on discovery channel... was pretty neat...

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Yeh, I'm into space travel too... . when Jesus returns:



1 Thess 4:16

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.



And thank goodness I don't even have to understand quantiniums or string theorums or I'd be in big big trouble.



However, I am currently reading Mike Crichton's Timeline. I usually don't read this genre, but I bought the book off Amazon because it was mentioned on a talk radio show in relation to global warming. Needless to say I was somewhat disapointed to find out it was a sci fi thriller. Also got another book, Meltdown : The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media recommended on the same show to read next.



PS: I do believe in global warming - since the last ice age.

 

[apkole]

Crichton's Timeline is like a coaster ride. I've revisited it a couple of times just because it is a fun read. Many moons ago I read quite a bit of time travel books and stories, some of which were published in the Boys Life magazine. I believe some of the writing was by Isaac Asimov if I'm not mistaken.

 

[rbattelle]

I have The Elegant Universe, and have read about 2/3 of it. Although I really don't like Greene's writing style (too may silly repetitive examples for me), theoretical physics is fascinating. I enjoyed A Brief History of Time, but wanted more detail which turned me on to Greene's book. I haven't delved deep enough into string theory yet to form any opinion on it (plus I'm no physicist).



The classic experiment of passing light through two narrow slits to form a wave pattern is the traditional method for demonstrating the wave/particle duality of light.



Fascinating stuff.



On edit: at work I have an AIAA article entitled "Relativistically Consistent Faster-than-Light Communication Using Self-Referential Quantum States. " Haven't read it yet. Also have an AIAA article about the use of a gravity impulse generator. Fascinating.



-Ryan

 

[Ncostello]

I took an elective physics course in undergrad engineering called Waves. Pretty interesting class. But from what I remember... anything that travels at or above 186,000 miles per second becomes light energy itself. So we need to work on that little glitch.



As mind boggling in size as the universe is... we need to learn how to get to the store without leaving the house and driving there in a car... no matter how fast it goes. Cause were never gonna get anywhere in space traveling as we know it.



The whole beam me up thing isn't too far off at all for this type of travel.

 

[MichaelWright]

www.johntitor.com



Just my . 02



Mike

 

[rbattelle]

Never heard of this "Titor" guy... here's a quote from that website:



"Many people believe John may have known of these events and dropped clues without actually referring to them... "



One question: why is it that people who can apprently "predict" the future never ever ever are specific about it?



I'll have to have a look over that website for my own curiosity.



Anyway, personally I prescribe to the theory that if you actually traveled back in time you couldn't change anything in our universe, since the fact that we know what's happened precludes it from being different. Therefore, the only way to "change" anything is to jump onto a parallel universe from which you could never return.



-Ryan

 

[The patriot]

I find these things interisting, no amazing.

I get more out of it if I watch it on TV. Dummies it up just enough to understand.

Eric

 

[MGordon]

I really enjoy this area of science. I thought "The Elegant Universe" was great reading. I also enjoyed all of Stephen Hawkings books.



Another good book is "Three Roads to Quantum Gravity" by Lee Smolin.

 

[MichaelWright]

Ryan,



I like to think it is all possible. As far as Titor, he was being discussed on Coast to Coast AM w/George Noory (old Art Bell show), when I came across this thread. I wish that I could add some intelligent remarks or comments to this subject. But, alas, my higher learning stopped 16 years ago after my divorce. All time stopped for me, never finished the BSN, just a few credits to go. Lost everything and wound up driving and living in a truck. All of the diesel fumes, caffeine and nicotine have pretty much done a number on me. Not to mention the years of financial hell. Long story. Things are much better today, and I wouldn't go back in time to change a thing.



Mike

 

[AfterBurner]

My buddy and I tried to build a time machine when we were in 4th grade. needless to say, we were unsuccesful, however we did learn that if you hold a copper wire to the postive and negative of a battery it will get REALLY hot, even after we put gloves on we still couldn't hold it!

 

[NPloysa]

Michael, I have been reading the posts on the John Titor site. I am not going to say I believe him or not, but it is some interesting stuff! Caught my attention. Thanks.



Nick