Returning to the past or jumping ahead to the future is a desire that humanity seeks to realize. Could a recent scientific discovery bring us closer to a solution for this issue?
Imagine a thread so thin that it cannot be seen with the naked eye but contains the mass of thousands of stars.
This is not science fiction; it is a description of the string theory, which posits that these structures hold the answers to the universe’s greatest mysteries.
Time travel, where we can return to the past or leap into the future, is a mystery and a longing that humans pursue (Photo: rost9/Adobe).
Researchers believe that if these string theories are validated, they could become the key to the door of time travel.
Cosmic strings, if they truly exist, are incredibly thin threads. They may be infinitely long tubes or coiled up together. Despite their thinness, the mass of a cosmic string could be equivalent to tens of thousands of stars, and it would gradually shrink over time, emitting gravitational waves as it vibrates.
So far, physicists have proposed two types of cosmic strings.
- The first is superstrings. Originating from string theory, this quantum theory suggests that the fundamental particles of the universe are vibrating strings. Superstrings stretch throughout the universe, containing the fabric of reality and potentially holding the key to time travel.
- The second type of cosmic string is believed to be remnants from the formation of the early universe. These scars were left during a transitional phase in cosmic history, similar to cracks that appear when water freezes.
One of the most fascinating aspects of cosmic strings is that they may indeed be the clue for us to realize time travel.
Astronomer J. Richard Gott discovered that theoretically, two cosmic strings moving close to the speed of light could create a loop in spacetime, functioning like a wormhole that allows us to traverse time.
However, detecting cosmic strings is not simple. That is why it remains an elusive theory to this day.
The extremely high density of cosmic strings would warp spacetime, creating a lensing effect that could cause duplicate images of galaxies.
Nevertheless, recent findings indicate that these strings might be lighter than previously estimated.
Lighter cosmic strings make them even more challenging to detect on a large scale.
This is why some astronomers have proposed an alternative method: micro-optical observations of individual stars, as a cosmic string passing through could temporarily double the brightness of a star, making it easier to detect.
And through this, we may find a way to travel through time without encountering paradoxes.
