Time Travel

Time Travel
Paige Giffault

The idea of time travel seems like an impossible and almost fictional concept to most people. Time is the one thing that cannot be reversed or changed, even though I'm sure everyone has had a point in their life that they would like to erase or do over. The classic movie "Back to the Future" is centered around the ability to time travel as they travel back 30 years in order to fix a problem. The movie is deemed Fantasy/Science Fiction. Although this concept of time travel seems unrealistic, it might actually be a success in our near future.


Ben Tipett is a mathematics and physics professor at UBC. He has recently published a study about the real possibility of time travel. As a expert in Einstein's theory about general relativity, his understanding of the math and physics of time travel have allowed him to generate a feasible equation. His study focuses on his mathematical formula in which he believes has potential to explain and describe time travel in a realistic manner. Tipett claims that "people think of time travel as something as fiction, and we tend to think its not possible because we don't actually do it. But, mathematically it is possible". Tipett gives scientists and physicists a possible key to understanding how to achieve time travel. There are many skeptics and scientists who do not believe in the ability to travel through time and have tried to disprove any theories claiming success.

Einstein's theory of general relativity states that gravitational fields are caused by distortions in space and time. His theory was confirmed 100 years later by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration who discovered gravitational waves formed by colliding black holes. Tippett claims that time should not be thought of or described as a separate dimension. Instead, he believes that the four dimensions of space should be thought of simultaneously and interconnected.

Tippett explains that the curved orbits of planets are caused by the curvature of space time and claims that without this, planet would move in a straight line instead of an orbital path. He goes on the explain that in the presence of a massive star, planets will follow the curative and bend around the star.  According to research of black holes, the closer to a black hole we get, the slower time moves. Based on these ideas and Einstein's theory Tippett claims that he uses the curvature of space time to bend time in a circle, instead of a straight line, taking us back in time.

Although Tippett has generated a mathematical equation to describe this idea, it is the building and creating of the actual time machine where people get stuck. He says that in order to build such a machine, we would need to use "exotic matter" in order to bend the curvature of space time, something that has not been discovered. However, Tippett has become closer to the achievement of time travel and his new research, recently published in the IOP Science Journal, could be the answer in the future.