Abstract
Timelike and spacelike two-event separation is introduced, which characterizes the space-time division. Faster-than-light signals and causality are shown to be inconsistent. We discuss in an essay the related challenges that macroscopic quantum entanglement presents to causality. Time dilation is revisited and the relative age of several travelers is explored; we show that in general the traveler who makes the longest travel before reuniting with others is found to be youngest. For the example of relativistic travel in interstellar space, the distance traveled and time elapsed are introduced for both observer at the base and traveling with the rocket. We show the enormity of time dilation effects for a spaceship capable in its instantaneous rest-frame of a constant Earth gravity equivalent acceleration for an uninterrupted period of several years.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
L.M. Krauss, The Physics of Star Trek, Basic Books (1995).
- 2.
Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (University of Chicago Press, 1962) characterized a paradigm shift (or revolutionary science) as a change in the basic assumptions ruling science.
- 3.
A. Chodos, A.I. Hausera, V.A. Kostelecky, “The Neutrino as a Tachyon” Physics Letters B 150(6), 431–435 (1985).
- 4.
OPERA Collaboration (T. Adam et al.), “Measurement of the neutrino velocity with the OPERA detector in the CNGS beam”, September 2011. 24 pp. e-Print: arXiv:1109.4897, result retracted a few months later.
- 5.
Named after the same John S. Bell who developed the ‘Bell rocket’ example extensively used in this book.
- 6.
J-D. Bancal, S. Pironio, A. Acin, Y-C. Liang, V. Scarani, & N. Gisin “Quantum non-locality based on finite-speed causal influences leads to superluminal signaling,” Nature Physics 8, 867 (2012).
- 7.
The BABAR Collaboration: J.P. Lees et al., “Observation of Time Reversal Violation in the B0 Meson System,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 211801 (2012).
- 8.
The situation with neutrinos is evolving: the three neutrinos may have masses that are much smaller – at the level of 0.01–0.1 eV which implies a quantum scale which is \(5\times10^{6}\) times larger – at the scale of 10 μm. Moreover, we are with near certainty immersed in a sea of cosmic neutrinos, see for example: J. Birrell, and J. Rafelski, “Proposal for Resonant Detection of Relic Massive Neutrinos,” Eur. Phys. J. C 75, 91 (2015).
- 9.
B. Hensen et al., “Loophole-free Bell inequality violation using electron spins separated by 1.3 kilometers,” Nature Letter. 526, 682 (October 2015).
- 10.
M. Giustina et al., “Significant-Loophole-Free Test of Bell’s Theorem with Entangled Photons,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 250401 (December 16, 2015); L.K. Shalm et al., “Strong Loophole-Free Test of Local Realism,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 250402 (December 16, 2015).
- 11.
J.A. Formaggio, D.I. Kaiser, M.M. Murskyj, and T.E. Weiss, “Violation of the Leggett-Garg Inequality in Neutrino Oscillations,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 050402 (2016).
- 12.
Economist of October 24, 2015, p. 77, “Hidden no more.”
- 13.
Enrico Fermi (1901–1953), Italian-American physicist, an accomplished theorist, experimenter and inventor. The first nuclear reactor was designed and built by Fermi, and we call quantum particles that obey the Pauli principle fermions. Nobel Prize 1938.
- 14.
E.M. Jones, “ ‘Where is Everybody?’ An Account of Fermi’s Question,” Los Alamos Report LA-10311-MS DE85 011898 http://www.osti.gov/accomplishments/documents/fullText/ACC0055.pdf.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rafelski, J. (2017). Causality, Twins. In: Relativity Matters. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51231-0_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51231-0_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-51230-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-51231-0
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)