Question

What is the relationship between wormholes and time travel?

According to Einstein's general theory of relativity, time reversal is possible for objects that are sucked into black holes. These objects would, in theory, be spewed out of other holes known as white holes. The tunnels that connect black and white holes are known as wormholes. While wormholes theoretically present time travel opportunities, there is no evidence to date of “volcanic” eruptions of material from such entities in the known universe.

However, Kip Sone, a relativity theorist, devised a theory in which wormholes could act as time machines. He believed that if a space ship could travel near light speed through a wormhole (as well as withstand the severe gravitational forces of the black hole), time would travel backwards. By following the principles of the special theory of relativity, (time moves slower for objects traveling at the speed of light) it would be possible to travel in time. Despite Sone’s theory, Stephen Hawking has dismissed the possibility of creating such time machines. There are a number of factors working against the theory of time travel, and Hawking has often said that if the effects of quantum mechanics are considered, the construction of a time machine is not possible.
October 29, 2001