The twin paradox
do not know if it is finite or not.”
To understand the idea, a brief idea of extra
dimension is needed.
Imagine a bunch of ants living on a perfectly
flat surface where only two dimensions
exist. They cannot sense that there is an
extra dimension as height unless they made
something like a tower or a hall. But an
observer looking at them from outside can
see the height dimension with respect to
his surroundings. Similar to that, the outside
observers of block universe experience more
The twin paradox is the common example of dimensions than those who live inside.
the theory when put into more general and
understandable form.
Illusion of time
In the block universe, all of the past, present
Suppose one of two twins carrying an accurate and future has already defined. Everything
atomic clock departs on a spaceship from the that has happened and will have happened
other twin nearly at the speed of light. They is clearly encoded into it. Natural experience
rejoin after several years passed on the clock of the passing of time is only an illusion
in the spaceship. According to the theory, the created by traveling forward along the time
elapsed time of his clock will be smaller than dimension.
that of the other twin. He will see his twin
brother aged more when they rejoin.
When put into perspective, this seems
absolutely peculiar. According to the theory,
The block universe
writing of this article, rise of Rome, the fall
In his theory of general relativity, Einstein of Hitler and everything else going to happen
suggested a new modal to define the universe. is planned and executed perfectly by the
universe itself.
Time travel
“The universe is a four-dimensional block of
space-time and it contains all the space and
time of the universe. As we live inside it, we
cannot see it, we are not aware of it and we
GAUGE Magazine University of Peradeniya
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