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New Study Explores Quantum Solution to Grandfather Time Travel Paradox

Time travel has long been deemed impossible due to paradoxes like the infamous “grandfather paradox,” which questions what happens if a time traveler prevents their grandfather from having children, erasing their own existence.

However, a new study suggests a resolution to such contradictions by combining general relativity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics.

Newtonian physics depicts time as linear, but Einstein’s general relativity, completed in 1915, challenges this notion. It reveals that space-time can bend and warp, enabling phenomena like black holes.

One of its more intriguing predictions is the existence of closed timelike curves—paths through space-time that loop back on themselves, theoretically allowing time travel.

“In general relativity, all forms of energy and momentum act as sources of gravity — not just mass,” explained Lorenzo Gavassino, a physicist at Vanderbilt University.

He speculated that if the universe rotated, it could warp space-time into a loop. While our universe doesn’t rotate in this way, similar effects occur around rotating masses like black holes, potentially creating environments for time loops.

Time travel paradoxes arise because they challenge thermodynamics, particularly entropy — the measure of disorder in a system. “Entropy is the sole reason we remember past events and cannot predict future ones,” Gavassino noted.

It governs daily experiences, from aging to memory. On a time loop, entropy might behave differently, raising questions about processes like aging or memory retention.

Published in Classical and Quantum Gravity on Dec. 12, 2024, Gavassino’s research proposes that quantum fluctuations on a closed timelike curve could reverse entropy. This might erase memories, reverse aging, or render events like the grandfather paradox temporary.

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“Entropy increase is the reason why we die. What happens when you invert death?” Gavassino asked.

His work builds on physicist Carlo Rovelli’s ideas and aligns with the “self-consistency principle,” which posits that events naturally adjust to prevent contradictions.

Gavassino demonstrated this principle using standard quantum mechanics, showing that history’s coherence arises naturally from quantum laws.

Whether closed timelike curves exist remains uncertain. Stephen Hawking proposed a “chronology protection conjecture” in 1992, suggesting physics may prevent time loops. Still, Gavassino’s work pushes boundaries.

Even if time travel proves impossible, understanding entropy on time loops could reveal insights into subatomic systems and thermodynamics. “It forces us to think about the role of entropy in generating our experience of the universe,” Gavassino remarked.

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