Any physics/engineering types wish to tackle this question?

[dawg80]

Saw a post on Facebook about a guy who built a time machine and wished to go back 6 months to bet on sporting events, or buy stocks, whatever. So he sets his machine for 6 months ago and bam! but the Earth is physically not where it is now, it's actually on the opposite side of the sun in its revolution. So this poor sap and his time machine materialize in cold space...instant death for the time traveler.

If one is time traveling, wouldn't that automatically place the time traveler, and his machine, in the same physical space where the Earth was 6 months previously?

Maybe we don't have anyone with interest in such an intellectual question. But, if we do, please chime in.

[Guisslapp]

Were you dropped on your head as a kid?

[dawg80]

I asked for someone with interest in an "intellectual" question. So far no one has responded.

[Champ967]

Saw a post on Facebook about a guy who built a time machine and wished to go back 6 months to bet on sporting events, or buy stocks, whatever. So he sets his machine for 6 months ago and bam! but the Earth is physically not where it is now, it's actually on the opposite side of the sun in its revolution. So this poor sap and his time machine materialize in cold space...instant death for the time traveler.

If one is time traveling, wouldn't that automatically place the time traveler, and his machine, in the same physical space where the Earth was 6 months previously?

Maybe we don't have anyone with interest in such an intellectual question. But, if we do, please chime in.

I'm not a physics type, but I do consume unhealthy amounts of sci-fi.

Go re-watch Interstellar. The premise is that gravity is the force that can cross dimensions, including time.

So long as the time traveler were bound to Earth's gravitational field, he or she should be fine.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

The premise is that gravity is the force that can cross dimensions, including time.

So long as the time traveler were bound to Earth's gravitational field, he or she should be fine.

Seems pretty flimsy to me but a great excuse for another flick.

[techman05]

Seems pretty flimsy to me but a great excuse for another flick.

Wait for it........

[Guisslapp]

Wait for it........

Lol

[dawg80]

Here's my take...a time traveler would appear wherever the Earth was 6 months ago. If the Earth was at some location on March 24, 2018, at some point in its orbit, that's where/when the time traveler would be too.

Besides H.G Wells had no issue with his guy traveling throughout time, materializing in empty space.

[HogDawg]

Saw a post on Facebook about a guy who built a time machine and wished to go back 6 months to bet on sporting events, or buy stocks, whatever. So he sets his machine for 6 months ago and bam! but the Earth is physically not where it is now, it's actually on the opposite side of the sun in its revolution. So this poor sap and his time machine materialize in cold space...instant death for the time traveler.

If one is time traveling, wouldn't that automatically place the time traveler, and his machine, in the same physical space where the Earth was 6 months previously?

Maybe we don't have anyone with interest in such an intellectual question. But, if we do, please chime in.

Yes.

[Guisslapp]

Space, itself, is moving (expanding). So when you say “same physical space” - you mean relative to what? Earth? The sun? The galaxy? Space (encompassing everything)?

Since you are in the world of fiction, feel free to choose your own adventure.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

Wait for it........

Exactly.

[dawg80]

It's not just fiction, like H. G. Wells, it's also scientific theory. Time travel, I mean. Of course, I say "theory" insomuch as it is not scientific law. Like other theories (the Big Bang, evolution, etc..) it is rooted in scientific principles, but remains unproven, thus not a scientific law.

Albert Einstein studied the possibility and it led to his Theory of Relativity. Einstein determined that time travel is "possible" because the physics/math supports it, and he could never find/prove it to be "impossible." It's a classic scientific "theory." Cannot categorically dismiss it due to lack of scientific proof. So the possibility remains. But, all that means is time travel is possible. It doesn't mean a time traveler would "miss" the Earth.

[Guisslapp]

It's not just fiction, like H. G. Wells, it's also scientific theory. Time travel, I mean. Of course, I say "theory" insomuch as it is not scientific law. Like other theories (the Big Bang, evolution, etc..) it is rooted in scientific principles, but remains unproven, thus not a scientific law.

Albert Einstein studied the possibility and it led to his Theory of Relativity. Einstein determined that time travel is "possible" because the physics/math supports it, and he could never find/prove it to be "impossible." It's a classic scientific "theory." Cannot categorically dismiss it due to lack of scientific proof. So the possibility remains. But, all that means is time travel is possible. It doesn't mean a time traveler would "miss" the Earth.

Seriously. Were you dropped on your head?

Relativity says that time slows down (relative to you) as you approach the speed of light. Your mass also goes to infinity.

[dawg80]

Seriously. Were you dropped on your head?

Relativity says that time slows down (relative to you) as you approach the speed of light. Your mass also goes to infinity.

STFU!

I lifted that FACT straight from biography of Einstein. I know you are truly stupid, but let me try, in the interest of morbid curiosity, to explain it to you again. Slower this time...

Einstein's interest in the possibility of time travel LED TO HIS Theory of Relativity. And that's EXACTLY what I posted. Here's a copy and paste:

Albert Einstein studied the possibility and it led to his Theory of Relativity.


I didn't say that, it came from those who knew him, some of whom worked along side of him.

Seriously, were you kicked in the head about a thousand times? You understand nothing! Every little thing has to be explained to you, like you were a two-year-old.

[Guisslapp]

STFU!

I lifted that FACT straight from biography of Einstein. I know you are truly stupid, but let me try, in the interest of morbid curiosity, to explain it to you again. Slower this time...

Einstein's interest in the possibility of time travel LED TO HIS Theory of Relativity. And that's EXACTLY what I posted. Here's a copy and paste:

Albert Einstein studied the possibility and it led to his Theory of Relativity.


I didn't say that, it came from those who knew him, some of whom worked along side of him.

Seriously, were you kicked in the head about a thousand times? You understand nothing! Every little thing has to be explained to you, like you were a two-year-old.

Einstein’s “interest in the possibility” leading to his theory isn’t remotely the same thing as saying Einstein believed it was possible.

Time slowing for one person relative to another is not the same thing as time reversing. To the person traveling at the speed of light, it would appear that he traveled to the future (everything on Earth would have aged faster relative to him). To the person on Earth observing someone that had traveled the speed of light, he would seem younger (he would appear as though he came from the past. Neither scenario involves actually traveling to the past.

Even that doesn’t remotely address the other major problem with traveling the speed of light - approaching infinite mass and energy.

Seriously, man.