Time travel can't go backward but forward is a possibility
The idea of time travel has always fascinated people. While the concept of going back to the past is exciting, scientists believe it is impossible based on our current understanding of physics. On the other hand, seeing into the future or predicting what might happen is not entirely out of reach and has some scientific support.
Traveling to the past faces serious problems, mainly because of logical contradictions known as paradoxes. A famous example is the "grandfather paradox," where someone could change history, like preventing their grandfather from meeting their grandmother, which would make their own birth impossible. These types of paradoxes suggest that traveling to the past would break the natural order of cause and effect, which is a key part of how the universe works. Even physicist Stephen Hawking once joked that if traveling to the past were possible, we would already have visitors from the future.
But moving forward in time is a different story. Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity shows that time moves differently for people traveling at high speeds, especially close to the speed of light. This means someone moving very fast would experience time more slowly than someone standing still, effectively allowing them to "travel" into the future. While this wouldn’t allow instant jumps forward in time, it’s a real effect seen in experiments with fast-moving particles.
Humans also have natural abilities to predict short-term events. For example, your brain helps you catch a ball by predicting where it will go. This skill is built into how we process information and respond to our surroundings.
Modern technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), adds to our ability to predict the future. AI can process massive amounts of data to find patterns, helping us forecast things like weather or economic trends. These tools enhance our natural skills and allow us to prepare for what’s ahead in ways that were once unimaginable.
While traveling to the past may remain impossible, our ability to look ahead continues to improve. With advances in science and technology, we are finding new ways to understand and prepare for the future, even as the past stays out of reach.
BBC Future: "Is time travel really possible? Here's what physics says"
Phys.org: "Time travel into the future is totally possible"
Pursuit: "Every day, we're actually seeing into the future"
Wired: "An Uncertain Future Requires Uncertain Prediction Skills"