Tara Magill
It is an undisputed fact that science fiction has had a constant influence on contemporary design and engineering. Many pieces of ‘modern’ technology, from flip phones to tablets, have all been represented in episodes of shows such as Star Trek from as far back as the 1960’s, and this trend continues today. Many engineers seek to make possible the ideas of their favourite science fiction writers, and it is this kind of influence that makes science fiction one of the major influences in the zeitgeist of technology. Watch the video below to see some technologies featured in Star Trek that have in fact come true:
Time travel is one of these concepts. While it has been an extreme area of interest for physicists since the beginning of physics itself, it is only recently that we are seeing viable ways to make this dream a reality. However, just because they are viable, does not mean they are possible; at least, not yet. Many of our theories require technology beyond our understanding to be successful, and even if this technology was available, we cannot be sure that our theories would work.
In the following series of articles, I am going to be exploring various time travel theories prevalent in popular culture and determining their viability, while also discussing the much more possible theory of wormholes and FTL (faster-than-light) travel.
