Hum Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Time travel? Teleportation? No problem, says renowned physicist Michio Kaku. Kaku, a professor at the City University of New York, is creating quite a stir in Britain with the release of his new book, "The Physics of the Impossible." On this side of the pond, outlandish claims in books are recognized as, well, a good way to sell books. But in Blighty, Kaku's being treated as if he's Doctor Who informing dim-witted humans about the wonders of the Universe, with front-page treatment Wednesday in both the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian. Even the normally staid Economist is chiming in. Kaku, one of the earliest proponents of string theory, still a contentious issue among physicists, divides the most common science-fiction tropes, or "impossibilities," into three categories ? possible soon, possible in the far future and really, truly impossible. Category 1, as he dubs it, includes things that may become true within the next century, if not the next few decades: teleportation (already possible, but only among subatomic particles); telepathy (thanks to brain implants); invisibility (already being researched using light-bending 'metamaterials'); laser guns (existing, but hugely power-hungry); force fields; and the discovery of extraterrestrial life. Category 2 includes things that are theoretically possible but would be realized only with thousands more years of technological progress: time travel (possibly through "wormholes" in space); traveling faster than light; and the discovery of parallel universes. Category 3 consists of things that really are impossible because they violate the laws of physics. Only two concepts qualify: knowing the future and perpetual motion. "The Physics of the Impossible," released March 11 in the U.S., is currently No. 123 on the Amazon bestseller lists. It comes out Thursday in Britain, though without the "Doctor Who"-themed cover of the U.S. version. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyJordan Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 It's probably possible. Nothing is impossible. If you can't do time travel today, then wait for tomorrow. All good things come to those who wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevember Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 (edited) It's probably possible. Nothing is impossible. If you can't do time travel today, then wait for tomorrow. All good things come to those who wait. One of my pet hates 'Nothing is impossible' I can think lots things. Ummm digging bear handed through center of earth with no protection in current state of earths core, for one. time travel (possibly through "wormholes" in space); traveling faster than light; and the discovery of parallel universes. So in reality thousands years if we still exist, then theoretically it might be possible, turns into headline 'likely'. Edited April 3, 2008 by stevember Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konstanov Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Nothing is impossible. Law of Conservation of Matter Law of Conservation of Energy Traveling Faster than the Speed of Light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BinaryFragger Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 It's already been done. All you need is a 1967 Corvette! "I did do the nasty in the pasty!" - Philip J. Fry (his own grandfather) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liskawc Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 well you cant really know if something really travels faster than the speed of light, can you? relativity theory only tells you that you would need a LOT of energy to make something with mass travel faster then light....but the universe is full of strange things and you can never know what will happen ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran Posted April 3, 2008 Veteran Share Posted April 3, 2008 If I time travel in my dreams, does that count? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Light Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Only if you travel at 88mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowRanger13 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Been there done that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acies Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Been there done that Yep, all you need is a Flux Capacitor and a De Lorean. It's all in the Back To The Future documentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernatch Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Law of Conservation of MatterLaw of Conservation of Energy Traveling Faster than the Speed of Light it isn't impossible that such laws will change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Decryptor Veteran Posted April 3, 2008 Veteran Share Posted April 3, 2008 Ehh, It's not like we'll suddenly realise the math was wrong one day, It might not be entirely accurate (it probably is though), but it's not wrong. "Guys, I worked out that 1/2 = 3, This changes everything!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antaris Veteran Posted April 3, 2008 Veteran Share Posted April 3, 2008 I remember reading in New Scientist recently (I think it was the Jan/Feb issue that if time travel was possible, the furthest we can go back would be to 2008, as it would apparently be year Zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lant Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 it isn't impossible that such laws will change Possibly, but very unlikely as laws are 'laws' and not just theories (which do change). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Gil Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Time travel is possible, its happening right now. Just forward and at a steady pace, but we're travelling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGS4-SS Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 It's probably possible. Nothing is impossible. If you can't do time travel today, then wait for tomorrow. All good things come to those who wait. Computer Science NP problems. Impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antaris Veteran Posted April 3, 2008 Veteran Share Posted April 3, 2008 Time travel is possible, its happening right now. Just forward and at a steady pace, but we're travelling! LOL, never thought of it that way :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrawn Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Pure bull****. I calculated just last week that sending information into the past is impossible, what to speak of matter. Of course, thosands of physicists have shown that, and Kaku's nonsense is just a stupid idea. He has not presented any actually workable theory. Obviously, time travel in to the future is not only possible (at many different speeds) it is also inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 If I time travel in my dreams, does that count? Yes. I have many times. ;) You can also do this consciously during an OOBE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernatch Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Ehh, It's not like we'll suddenly realise the math was wrong one day, It might not be entirely accurate (it probably is though), but it's not wrong."Guys, I worked out that 1/2 = 3, This changes everything!" i mean there's nothing to say the universe will start behaving in a different way. logical impossibilities like 1/2 = 3 are always impossible. the weight of an electron changing isn't logically impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forster Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User6060 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 If its possible then why hasn't someone from the future come back yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincent Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Yes. I have many times. ;) You can also do this consciously during an OOBE. Evidence? :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primexx Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Possibly, but very unlikely as laws are 'laws' and not just theories (which do change). uhh...what are you smoking? theories are more accurate than laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User6060 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 uhh...what are you smoking? theories are more accurate than laws. maybe more accurate than legal laws, but we're talking science. i would really like to see you refute the ideal gas law in a vacuum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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