First Livable Planet (Other than Earth) Discovered in Space

[scottie]

mysticwolf said:

Silver-Tiger said:

scottie said:

 

You beat me to it. I'm not very familiar with this science, but the nearer we get to light speed, the slower time becomes until the point we reach light speed, where time essentially stops, correct?

however, if time stops, we would still age and die, wouldn't we?

No, we would not.

 

Lets assume for the moment that we have a spaceship that is capable of travelling at the speed of light.

 

We fill this spaceship with some colonists and a clock, which keeps track of the time, day, month, year. Included in the group of colonists is a person who is leaving their twin sibling on Earth, whilst themselves venturing out into space.

 

The spaceship travels to Gilese. The earth observatory watching the mission notes that it takes 20 years for the travellers to reach their destination, whilst for the colonists it happens in the blink of an eye. When the colonists arrive, they work out that Earthlike does not mean it is habitable. The air is a potent mix of cyanide, arsenic, and second hand cigarette smoke. 

 

Disappointed, the colonists return home. The spacefaring twin is excited to return and see his sibling. When they arrive back on Earth, the spacefaring twin is shocked to see that his twin brother has aged 40 years, while he himself is not a day older. The clocks confirm, that 40 years has passed on earth but not for the colonists - moving clocks run slower.

 

If you want to see what the Earth is like in a million years time, don't freeze yourself, go on a journey at speeds approaching that of light.