What if we were able to travel back in time and take part in the events that we experienced? Imagine the possibilities and imagine how we might contribute to the evolution of humanity. ![Time Travel](https://www.maxpixel.net/static/photo/1x/Alien-Utopia-Fantasy-Time-Travel-Abandoned-Ufo-5231837.jpg)_{Source: [Max Pixel](https://www.maxpixel.net/static/photo/1x/Alien-Utopia-Fantasy-Time-Travel-Abandoned-Ufo-5231837.jpg)} The only method that may be useful for solving the mystery of time travel that is depicted in most science fiction films is to construct a time machine. There is no doubt that the creation of a time machine does contribute to the understanding of this mystery, but it is only a small contributor to finding the answer, whereas the more complicated issue which has to be resolved is beyond our knowledge and control. According to these fictional ideas, in order to play out, Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity must be overturned, as well as the ability to travel at a speed that can be close to that of light. As physicists continue to explore the possibilities of faster-than-light travel (FTL) and what this would mean for space exploration and our universe, we can expect to witness such advances in the future. Historically, the first time fast-than-light travel was depicted in popular culture was in the television series Star Trek, when spaceships managed to travel billions of light-years away over a matter of seconds when they deployed warp drives. If this theory were to be true, the space travelers might return to their original location and discover that the passage of time has occurred as per usual, meaning 50 years may have passed in the short time that the ship was away, thus simulating time travel. ![Scientists](https://live.staticflickr.com/1746/42785253482_bfaf71595e_b.jpg)_{Source: [Flickr](https://live.staticflickr.com/1746/42785253482_bfaf71595e_b.jpg)} The common view about time is that it is a constant, but Einstein proved that time is determined by how fast an object moves in relation to the environment in which it exists. In the view of Albert Einstein, time is not a consistent flowing entity, but is dependent upon space, and as one travels through space faster than the perception of time changes, a phenomenon which is known as time dilation. In the event that an astronaut can somehow travel at a speed that is close to that of light, he will be treated differently as he will enter a different world than any of his friends left behind on Earth who will be traveling at the normal speed. While the astronaut is in space, the passage of time will be much slower for him, and when he returns to Earth, his friends will have aged much more quickly. There are, however, laws of physics which say that the speed of light is constant, represented by c in Einstein's famous equation E = MC2, which states that light moves at a constant speed. It is estimated that the speed of light in a vacuum is 186,000 miles per second (299,792 km/sec), and despite the fact that certain processes such as quantum entanglement can travel faster than light, they do not carry mass or information. Reaching the speed of light as a particle with mass requires infinite acceleration and therefore infinite energy, which is an impossible dream to accomplish. It was in 2011 that scientists at CERN in Switzerland believed they had found a new type of FLT particle. The neutrino, a new subatomic particle, was found to be traveling faster than the speed of light despite having an extremely small mass. Scientists carried out an experiment that sent particles from Switzerland to Italy in record time, and the neutrinos arrived in Italy within a few minutes, provoking thoughts of time travel and visits to distant galaxies throughout the world. The experiment, however, had some flaws that CERN has to live with. The experiment had a cable that wasn't adequately connected, resulting in inaccurate results. According to Einstein's theory, no mass-bearing object can exceed the speed of light, since this would require an infinite amount of energy. So, spaceships, neutrinos, or any other mass-bearing object cannot exceed the speed of light. No matter what theoretical scenarios may demonstrate how we can achieve faster than light travel, we can never go backwards in time, only forwards. Despite these findings, many scientists are still of the opinion that traveling into the future is still technically possible and just needs more research. The idea that there are theoretical passages through space-time - whereby distant points of the universe can be connected as a result of wormholes - is one attractive starting point for these theories. Although the potential for success is enticing, it seems that it is still light-years away from becoming a reality. **Note:** Both of the images used are copyright free images.