The Big Question: Is time travel possible, and is there any chance that it will ever take place?

By Steve Connor, Science Editor

Friday, 8 February 2008

Why are we asking this now?

Two Russian mathematicians have suggested that the giant atom-smasher being built at the European centre for nuclear research, Cern, near Geneva, could create the conditions where it might be possible to travel backwards or forwards in time. In essence, Irina Aref'eva and Igor Volovich believe that the Large Hadron Collider at Cern, which is due to be switched on this year for the first time, might create tiny "wormholes" in space which could allow some form of limited time travel.

Time Travel Considerations

By William F. Hamilton III

When comparing theory to anecdotal stories regarding time travel, theory predicts that the rate of time in terms of the periodic motions of a clock, atom, or planet can be slowed down in order to create a differential between the time within the space of the clock and the space outside of the clock. This differentiation is either caused by near-light speed motion of the clock, so-called time dilation, or by gravitational fields, or by some physical method of slowing vibrations.