• Question: Do you think a time machine will be invented?

    Asked by oficialcheesesandwich2015 to David, Nicholas on 9 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by Scott McCracken.
    • Photo: David Nunan

      David Nunan answered on 9 Nov 2015:

      It already has hasn’t it?: http://www.backtothefuture.com/
      Shame it’s only real in the movies!

      Actually it’s not a device that gets discussed much in my area of science, but where many people in the past thought the boundaries of science ended they have since been smashed. You should never say never when it comes to invention, perhaps another question could be what would you do with it if there was one?

      Thanks
      David

    • Photo: Nicholas Pearce

      Nicholas Pearce answered on 16 Nov 2015:

      Hey,

      It’s hard to say for sure:
      One the one hand I have no idea what might be invented 100 years or so into the future. At one time nobody would have thought the internet would be possible!
      On the other hand, we can see how a time machine would cause a lot of problems, specifically paradoxes – like if you went back in time and killed your granddad before your father was born. The best way to avoid problems like this is to suppose that time travel isn’t possible.

      Here’s a joke:
      I bought a second hand time machine next week. They just don’t make them like they’re going to any more.

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