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The Possibility of Time Travel through Einstein's Special Relativity Theory

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DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.11534.00327

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 November 2016

The Possibility of Time Travel through Einstein’s

Special Relativity Theory

Andrea Garoz
Physics 102
Los Angeles Community College, Los Angeles, CA 90029

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the implications Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity has in regards
to time travel. The research includes a discussion of the contribution James Clerk Maxwell
had to Einstein’s Special Relativity Theory –specifically the use of Faraday’s Equation. The
research also includes an analysis to the solution to Einstein’s equation derived by Kurt
Gödel and why this solution allows for time travel into the future to be possible. Lastly, the
research touches on some of the problems presented when discussing travel into the past,
including FTL (Faster than light) travel, or the use of wormholes.
1 Introduction
Is time travel possible? Many scientists have pondered about the idea of whether or not
time travel is possible. Time travel by definition is a hypothetical transport through time
into the past or the future. [1] Einstein’s special theory of relativity is exemplified by what
is called the twin paradox or clock paradox. The paradox states that if you have two clocks
and one ”goes on a journey” when it is returned to its original location each clock will show
that time has elapsed differently, however, since there is not a neutral object providing a
frame of reference, it would be difficult to say which of the two clocks was still. [2] In the
case of people, the paradox is applied as such: a person in motion ages slower than someone
who is still, due to the fact that there is no frame of reference. For example, say you have
two twins: twin A and twin B. You put twin A in a spacecraft leaving Earth while twin
B stays behind. If Twin A returns hours later as measured in his own time, years would
have passed for twin B on terrestrial time. This would mean that Twin A traveled in time
effectively. [3] In recent years scientists have attempted to incorporate these ideas to allow
time travel not only to the future but to the past as well.
Einsteins Special Relativity Theory sets up a relationship between space and time. In the
mid nineteenth century, theoretical physicists still had many questions about the way light
worked. The two most protruding doubts they had was what oscillated as light waves passed
and what space (or medium) were they traveling through? An answer for both of these
questions was brought about by the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell. To answer the
question about which medium light traveled through theoretical physicists came up with the
concept of an ether. The ether was thought of as a colorless, massless, undetectable fluid
in which light waves traveled; it was fundamentally an infinite and invisible material that
made contact with objects yet did not interact with them. The idea of the ether solved the
question of what fluid allowed light waves to travel, however, there still remained the issue
of what was it that oscillated as the light waves passed James Clerk Maxwell answered this
question through his theory of electromagnetism; a theory that combined both electricity
and magnetism. Maxwell built upon the work of Ampere, Faraday, Kelvin, Weber and Stoke
to derive an equation that corresponds to waves composed of oscillating and electric and
magnetic fields propagating through space similarly to water waves through water. [4] His
contribution to these theories resulted in the following four equations we now call Maxwell’s
equations which are expressed through terms of electric fields, magnetic fields, and their
sources and are as follow:
ρ
∇·E = (1)
ε0

∇·B =0 (2)

∂B
∇×E =− (3)
∂t
∂E
∇ × B = µ0 (J + ε0 ) (4)
∂t

1
 Where ε0 is total electric constant, E is the electric field, ρ is the electric charge density,
B is the magnetic field, and J is the total current density. [5]

2 From Maxwell to Einstein

Maxwell introduced the ether and with this idea he was able to calculate the velocity at
which these new waves traveled in. These waves later came to be called electromagnetic
waves and had predicted speeds of 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per second)
which is the speed of light. Maxwells c constant made a connection between two already
known constants. When Einstein started his idea of special relativity he was faced with
the issue of whether or not this ether that Maxwell had hypothesized was real. In 1887,
Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley conducted an experiment now known as the
Michelson-Morleyexperiment with results that indicated the ether did not exist. This was
one of the first times there was strong evidence against the theory of the ether. Albert
Einstein decided that the if the ether was present in Maxwells theory it must be present in a
state of rest. The electric field, he concluded, was dependent on the observer; he concluded
this through a magnet conductor thought experiment. [7].

Figure 1. Magnet and Conductor at Rest in the Ether

Figure 2. Magnet and Conductor Moving in the Ether

The thought experiment compared the fields surrounding two identical magnets: one at
rest and one in motion. As per Figure 1, a static magnet would only be surrounded by a
magnetic field however, as seen in Figure 2, a moving magnet would have both a magnetic
field and an electric field. In theory as per Faraday’s equation (Equation 5), the static
magnet would show no current when measured via a conductor while the magnet that is
moving would have a current.
I Z
∂
E · ∂s = − B0 · ∂A (5)
∂t
However, once the object starts moving, the electric field induces a current while the magnetic
field procures another exact current in the opposite direction, thus cancelling the overall
movement of the current. Since the same forces were being dealt with and the same laws

2
applied to both magnets Einstein theorized that the ”existence of the electric field was a
relative one” [7], which meant that it was a notion relative to the observer. That is to say, if
a person was traveling inside the magnet while it was moving the electric field would not be
perceived, however an observed stading at rest outside the field would be able to perceive it.

3 Time Variable
Unlike Isaac Newton’s idea that time worked like an arrow traveling at a constant speed in
a straight line, Einstein’s idea of time was much more flexible. Under Einstein’s Theory of
Special Relativity, time could either slow down or speed up if the object was traveling at a
high enough speed. [10] The two postulates that rule Special Relativity are as follows:

• The laws of physics are the same in all inertial systems

• The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of the motion
of the light source. [11]

A generalization of Mach’s principle is that motion is determined by the objects that

occupy a certain space, in other words, matter is what determines the shape of the space-
time. Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity describes the exchange between matter and
energy and the way in which they warp the space-time (according to Mach’s principle).
Einstein Field Equations (EFE) are given by:
1 8πG
Rµν − Rgµν + Λgµν = 4 Tµν (6)
2 c
where Rµν is the Ricci curvature tensor, R is the scalar curvature, gµν is the metric tensor,
Λ is the cosmological constant, G is Newton’s gravitation constant, c is the speed of light in
a vacuum, and Tµν is the stress-energy tensor. [7]

4 Gödel’s Rotating Universe

In 1949, Kurt Gödel presented a solution to Einstein’s field equations that forewent Mach’s
principle. Gödels solution allowed for closed time-like curves that passed through every point
in time thus allowing for time travel into the past. In the case of a rotating universe, moving
against the rotation would mean you are traveling back in time. In Gödel’s universe, a person
would be able to create a time machine by taking a long round trip in a spacecraft; since
this universe revolves, it would be possible to skip loops thus allowing travel to the future or
the past depending on which direction the spacecraft was moving. Gödel also believed that
if time travel was possible then time does not exist, which went further than Einstein’s idea
that time was relative.

3
5 Limitations
Even though under Gödel’s model, time travel was possible in order for this to be achieved a
person would have to be traveling faster than the speed of light (FTL). Although theoretically
possible, faster than light travel is something physicists have not been able to achieve yet.
Some solutions have been presented for, example, Miguel Alcubierre’s proposal of a spacecraft
surrounded by a ”bubble-wrap” of warped space-time. [14]. This would allow for the space
in front of the spacecraft to be stationary with respect to the bubble while allowing the
spacecraft to move at unbounded speeds in relation to outside therefore allowing the craft
to reach near FTL speeds. This of course is not a practical solution since they technological
advances for this to be possible are not currently available.
Another time travel possibility is through black holes or wormholes. The problems with
creating a black hole presents are 1) we cannot produce a black hole with enough rotational
speed to allow for it to work as a wormhole and 2) even enough rotational speed was achieved,
the black hole would be unstable and anything passing through it would collapse. [15]

6 Conclusion
Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity allowed for many mathematical solutions including
Gödel’s alternating universe which as discussed permits travel in time. The truth remains
that although Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity allowed for this mathematical solution
to come about the universe expands, not rotates as Gödel conjured. However, Gödel’s
solution opened up the path for other mathematicians and physicist to explore the idea
of a wormhole that works as a ”Looking Glass of Alice” and would allow us to step into
an alternate universe. There is still a lot of uncharted waters when it comes to the laws
of physics specially in regards to time. Until we can come up with a theory that unites
quantum forces and gravity, time-travel may not be possible, however, we cannot be closed
to the idea that there is a parallel universe in which time travel is a reality.

References
[1] Time Travel [Def.1] (n.d.) Oxford Dictionaries Onlines. In Oxford Dictionary. Retreived
October 12, 2016,

[2] Simon Blackburn, “The Oxford Dictionary of Phylosphy” Second Edition Oxford Uni-
versity Press: 2008

[3] Talal A. Debs, Mchael L. G. Redhead “The Twin ”Paradox” and the Conventionality
of Simultaneity,” American Jornal of Physics 64, (4): 384-392

[4] Allen Everett, Thomas Roman “Time Travel and Warp Drives,: A Scientific Guideto
Shortcuts through Time and Space ’ Univeristy of Chicago Press(2011)

[5] Michiel Hazenwinkel “Maxwell Equations” Encyclopedia of Mathematics. Springer.

4
 [6] Albert A. Michelson, Edward W. Morley “On the Relative Motion of the Earth
and the Luminiferous Ether” American Journal of Science. 34 333-345 208 (1887)
[doi:1].2474/ajs.s3-34.203.333].

[7] Albert Einstein “Fundamental Ideas and Methods of the Theory of Relativiy, Presented
in Their Development,” Collected Papers of Albert Einsten, Vol. 7, Doc. 31

[8] M. Faraday. Experimental Researches in Electricity. (vol. I, eds R. Taylor , W. Francis,

1839; vol. II, ed. R. Taylor, 1844; vol. III, eds R. Taylor , W. Francis, 1855). London,
UK.

[9] LACCD, Los Angeles City College. Farraday’s Law D. Kiley, Phys., Lecture (2016)

[10] Ed. Pat Dash. Vol 4. Our Future in Space “Time Travel” New York: Macmillan Refer-
ence USA, 2002. p.197-199

[11] Albert Einstein, Robert W. Lawson “Relativity: The Special and The General Theory”
Psychology Press (2001) Reading, USA: Addison-Wesley (1995) 232 p. (The advanced
book program)

[12] Kurt Gödel “An Example of a New Type of Cosmological Solutions of Einstein’s Field
Equations of Gravitation,” Collected Works. Kurt Gödel ; Ed. Solomon Feferman. [Ox-
fordshire] (1986) Claredon Press; New York

[13] Jim Holt “Time Bandits.” The New Yorker. N.P. 20 Feb. 2005. Web. Oct.2016 http :
//www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/02/28/time − bandits − 2

[14] Paul Parsons. “Science.” Vol. 274, No. 5285 A Warped View of Time Travel (Oct
11, 1996) pp.202-203 [American Association for the Advancement of Science]. http :
//www.jstor.org/stable/2892157

[15] Kip Thorne “Q&A: Space-Time Visionary,” Nature, 51507526 (2014): 196

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