Paradox-free time travel is theoretically possible, according to the mathematical modelling of a prodigious University of Queensland undergraduate student.

Fourth-year Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) student Germain Tobar has been investigating the possibility of time travel, under the supervision of UQ physicist Dr Fabio Costa.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-09/uoq-yp092320.php


"Classical dynamics says if you know the state of a system at a particular time, this can tell us the entire history of the system," Mr Tobar said.

"This has a wide range of applications, from allowing us to send rockets to other planets and modelling how fluids flow.

"For example, if I know the current position and velocity of an object falling under the force of gravity, I can calculate where it will be at any time.

"However, Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts the existence of time loops or time travel - where an event can be both in the past and future of itself - theoretically turning the study of dynamics on its head."


Mr Tobar said a unified theory that could reconcile both traditional dynamics and Einstein's Theory of Relativity was the holy grail of physics.

"But the current science says both theories cannot both be true," he said.

"As physicists, we want to understand the Universe's most basic, underlying laws and for years I've puzzled on how the science of dynamics can square with Einstein's predictions.

"I wondered: "is time travel mathematically possible?"