Scientific facts about time that will surprise you

Time is one of the most mysterious phenomena that humanity has ever encountered. Despite the fact that it is an attribute of any action in our lives, the question “How does time work” can stump any scientist, because we have not yet come close to unraveling all its aspects, informs Ukr.Media.

Today we will only talk about those facts or assumptions that are beyond doubt in the world of science or are at least generally accepted concepts.

Time is an illusion created by the human mind.

We perceive time in at least three ways: past, present, and future. That is why the concept of a time machine has emerged, which can send us back or forward in time.

However, scientists would argue with such a concept. The thing is that they do not consider time to be what it is for people far from science. In fact, the very concept of time was invented by humanity to organize the structure of the world. From the point of view of the Universe, time does not exist. There is only forward movement, expansion, and therefore the situation when it is possible to “rewind” time back is unrealistic, if only because it contradicts the laws of physics.

Time is a dimension

We perceive time as a separate quantity from others, which is almost fundamental. But again, from the point of view of science, this is not so. Scientists consider time to be the same dimension as length, width and height. Space will not necessarily exist only if there is a fourth dimension in the form of time, since at least now in science there is no law prohibiting the separation of these quantities. And yet, speaking of time, we mean its inextricable connection with physical quantities.

Time is relative

Many people have heard of Einstein's theory of relativity, but they don't master even the basic concepts. This is normal, because you need to know a lot of physics to understand the works of the famous scientist.

And yet there is a theory that is understandable to most – the relativity of time. Einstein proposed the idea that time directly depends on speed, and much later this assumption was proven. According to the scientist's theory, time slows down for things in motion relative to other objects outside its motion. This means that if you fly in a spaceship moving at near-light speed, it will seem to you that time on the clock has practically stopped, but for an outside observer it will go as usual.

In theory, it is believed that for an object moving at the speed of light, time stops altogether.

Time may not have existed before the big bang

The Big Bang Theory is a case where everything seems logical in a brief interpretation, but when you dig deeper, your brain starts to boil. How do you like the idea that everything in the infinite Universe instantly flew out of an infinitely small point called a singularity?

According to this theory, the Big Bang was the catalyst for space-time, giving rise to everything that exists, including time. This means that before this grand event, there was no matter or time, at least not in the form in which we can understand it.

Time may exist in a more exotic form

We live by the physical laws of our universe and cannot violate them at the current level of technological development. This is especially true of time.

However, there is a theory of multiverses, which suggests that there are from one to an infinite number of versions of the Universe that exist parallel to our world. In some, the physical laws may be identical to ours, and the differences will consist, for example, in a slightly higher oxygen content in the Earth's atmosphere. In others, the differences can be colossal, including in the nature of time, where it may be more exotic, for example, flowing at a slightly different speed or periodically rolling back to a certain point, like a closed loop.

The present tense does not exist.

We mentioned above that from the perspective of the human mind there is a past, a present, and a future. However, the concept of the present within the framework of time is a fiction.

The thing is, nothing happens in this world in the present tense, at least for us. For example, the light you saw from a light bulb was in the past, and your eye recorded it a fraction of a second after it appeared.

Everything we see, feel, and think is a product of the past. The same can be said about the future, for thoughts about it are merely speculations of the mind.

Time can be simulated

There is a simulation hypothesis that suggests that our entire world is nothing more than a computer model built by a more advanced civilization. This concept is very popular, and some scientists are testing its reality and coming to the conclusion that this is a completely possible scenario.

The beings who created this computer simulation could have accidentally or intentionally introduced into the artificial world the quantity we call time. If this is indeed the case, then after leaving the simulation, a person would hardly be able to adapt to the new reality.

Time can be cyclical

From the point of view of supporters of the cyclical model, the matter of the Universe repeatedly undergoes successive cycles of expansion and contraction. First, there is a big bang, then the Universe goes through all the stages of evolution, and then a big contraction occurs. In the finale, the Universe again contracts into an infinitely small singularity, and then collapses again, and the big bang occurs.

At the same time, time is also cyclical, as if tied in a knot. It either accelerates at the very beginning of the big bang, or slows down to the great compression.

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