{"id":2244088,"date":"2026-11-08T06:26:22","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T03:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2244088"},"modified":"2026-11-08T06:26:22","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T03:26:22","slug":"where-would-you-go-in-a-time-machine-physicist-says-time-travel-only-goes-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2244088","title":{"rendered":"Where would you go in a time machine? Physicist says time travel only goes forward"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/00\/46\/1200x675_cmsv2_2489eaeb-b835-512d-97d4-ea4e62629349-9980046.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939884-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2939884\" data-cid=\"9982927\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939884-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/29\/27\/189x106_cmsv2_3644a902-3192-546b-9509-bab11c685a98-9982927.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"In this photo, a house with solar panels can be seen on a cloudy day.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How cloudy weather is causing a problem for Europe\u2019s solar boom\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2937987-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2937987\" data-cid=\"9973668\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2937987-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/36\/68\/189x106_cmsv2_7069fab3-da65-5bb0-be16-dbcbd07f4388-9973668.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Social etiquette can vary across Europe \u2013 here\u2019s what you need to know before you go \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Moments<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Travelling to Europe? Here are the social etiquette tips to know\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2940161-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2940161\" data-cid=\"9984198\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2940161-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/41\/98\/189x106_cmsv2_2c23546d-c32c-5f0d-9359-f776f18037fb-9984198.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | November 8th, 2026 \u2013 Morning\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | November 8th, 2026 \u2013 Morning\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2940133-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2940133\" data-cid=\"9984094\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2940133-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/40\/94\/189x106_cmsv2_6b627c20-7592-54d8-b31d-c4e540ce1a8f-9984094.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Forensic investigators work behind police privacy screens in a cordoned off area after a shooter opened fire in a market square in Krakow\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland: Footage shows people taking cover as a gunman opens fire in Krakow\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Next<\/p>\n<p>                          Tech News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Where would you go in a time machine? Physicist says time travel only goes forward<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/00\/46\/1536x864_cmsv2_2489eaeb-b835-512d-97d4-ea4e62629349-9980046.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Scientists study black holes to attempt to solve time travel. FILE\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Scientists study black holes to attempt to solve time travel. FILE<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspSimon Ormiston\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1794119182\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-11-08T07:26:22+01:00\">8 November 2026 &#8211; 7:26 GMT+1<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center 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u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Pack for tomorrow, not yesterday. A physicist says time travel to the past could be impossible.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--next js-article-content\">\n<p>A question many of us have posed in our minds is: where would you go if you had a time machine?<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Would you crank the dial backwards like Marty McFly and risk sabotaging your own future? Before you start packing, a physicist has some news that may ruin a few Marvel movies: you may only be able to go one way, and it isn&#8217;t backwards.<\/p>\n<p>Hongsheng Zhang, a researcher at the University of Jinan in China, has shown that in a broad class of theoretical universes, travelling into your own past is impossible.<\/p>\n<p>The whole argument rests on one fact. In relativity, the direction of light can never sit at right angles to an object\u2019s direction through time. <\/p>\n<p>Imagine spacetime sliced into layers that light itself can travel along. Anything moving slower or faster than light must cross these surfaces in the same direction, like climbing a staircase that never lets you step down. <\/p>\n<p>If you can only ever go up, you can never arrive back on the step where you started.<\/p>\n<p>The argument needs no exotic matter, no quantum effects and no assumptions about what fills the universe. &#8220;The whole content is bookkeeping about directions,&#8221; Zhang told ScienceAlert.<\/p>\n<h2>The two loopholes<\/h2>\n<p>Physicists call journeys to the past &#8220;closed timelike curves&#8221;: routes through spacetime that loop back to the very place and moment they began. Einstein&#8217;s equations allow them in a handful of scenarios, such as near the core of a spinning black hole.<\/p>\n<p>Crucially, Zhang&#8217;s research &#8211; which is awaiting peer review &#8211; also reveals exactly how a time machine could achieve travelling back in time, and it claims there are only two ways. <\/p>\n<p>The first is twist. Imagine light rays that, instead of travelling side by side, spiral around one another like the strands of a rope. When that happens, the neat surfaces of light can&#8217;t form, so there is no one-dimensional staircase to keep you climbing. <\/p>\n<p>This is what happens near the centre of a spinning black hole. Einstein\u2019s theory says a spinning mass drags space and time around with it, an effect NASA\u2019s Gravity Probe B satellite measured around Earth in 2011. Close to the black hole\u2019s core the drag is so strong that moving \u201cforward in time\u201d is bent into a circle. <\/p>\n<p>A traveller following that circle would see their clock ticking forward in time as normal, yet their journey would arrive back at the moment they set off. Physicist Brandon Carter showed in 1968 that such loops exist inside spinning black holes.<\/p>\n<p>The second is the shape of the universe itself. The staircase might be perfectly built, but it could lead around the sides of a building, so the top step leads straight back to the bottom, like the impossible staircases in an Escher drawing. You would keep climbing and still end up where you began. Most of the time machines physicists have designed on paper, including those built from wormholes, rely on this trick.<\/p>\n<p>The theorem has its limits, as Zhang acknowledges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat it does not do is tell us whether nature permits any of this. That remains open, and it is the question I would most like to see answered,\u201d Zhang explained to ScienceAlert.<\/p>\n<h2>Destination: tomorrow<\/h2>\n<p>Trips to the future, by contrast, are already well established. Einstein showed that moving very fast, or sitting in strong gravity, slows your clock relative to everyone else&#8217;s. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station return to Earth a few thousandths of a second younger than they would otherwise have been, according to the European Space Agency.<\/p>\n<p>The work does not settle whether our own universe allows a journey to the past. <\/p>\n<p>For now, though, anyone planning a trip may want to pack for tomorrow rather than yesterday&#8230; unless you have the Time Stone of course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939249-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2939249\" data-cid=\"9979743\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939249-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/97\/43\/480x270_cmsv2_821ec6a9-84e6-58e0-96a2-69cc47507e8d-9979743.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Photo\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Zeptoverse\u2019: CERN scientists uncover evidence of extraordinarily rare particle decay<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939204-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2939204\" data-cid=\"9979549\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939204-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/95\/49\/480x270_cmsv2_483366cd-1866-5317-88f2-56bc69b4bc8d-9979549.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The EU is preparing to announce a proposal for restricting social media access to children. FILE\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ban it or build it? 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<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  scientific research<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Physics<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  China<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Albert Einstein<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939912-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939912\" data-cid=\"9983174\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939912-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/80\/75\/320x180_cmsv2_3e4e3223-78b2-5511-a63e-f92d5c3c8b5a-9978075.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Source: AP Photo\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hackers probed Europe\u2019s fridge systems weeks before cyberattacks<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939826-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939826\" data-cid=\"9982515\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939826-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/25\/15\/320x180_cmsv2_ca06c4d3-4ac0-5795-beca-d29a8362e18c-9982515.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A protester holds a Fight Data Centers signs Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Mason, Mich. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Data centre backlash: Which AI companies were hit by US midterms?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939845-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939845\" data-cid=\"9982596\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939845-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/25\/96\/320x180_cmsv2_6d647aaa-5b02-593b-b3d4-3ea50f897c25-9982596.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - The TikTok logo is displayed on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen, Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo\/Michael Dwyer, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU tells TikTok to change &#8216;harmful&#8217; feed over &#8216;rabbit hole effect&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939749-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939749\" data-cid=\"9982216\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939749-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/22\/16\/320x180_cmsv2_73bca197-dfcb-5428-9076-924ef476ff25-9982216.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo a man walks past a Google sign outside with a span of the Bay Bridge at rear in San Francisco. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Parents sue Google after 13-year-old allegedly used AI to plan suicide<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2939785-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939785\" data-cid=\"9982291\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939785-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/22\/91\/320x180_cmsv2_a308ab75-82bf-54d1-a50d-7de683d6cef6-9982291.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Meta data centers operate Sept. 5, 2026, near Social Circle, Ga. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Big Tech and green groups discuss the future of data centres in the US<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939912-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939912\" data-cid=\"9983174\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hackers probed Europe\u2019s fridge systems weeks before cyberattacks<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2797468-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2797468\" data-cid=\"9267924\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spain moves forward with plans to shorten the 40-hour working week<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-1883658-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"1883658\" data-cid=\"6577058\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Which countries are embracing a 4-day workweek and how is it going?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939845-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939845\" data-cid=\"9982596\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU tells TikTok to change &#8216;harmful&#8217; feed over &#8216;rabbit hole effect&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2939500-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939500\" data-cid=\"9981024\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU bets \u20ac525 million on home-grown chip designers<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939249-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2939249\" data-cid=\"9979743\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939249-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/97\/43\/480x270_cmsv2_821ec6a9-84e6-58e0-96a2-69cc47507e8d-9979743.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Photo\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Zeptoverse\u2019: CERN scientists uncover evidence of extraordinarily rare particle decay<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939204-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1\" data-nid=\"2939204\" data-cid=\"9979549\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939204-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/95\/49\/480x270_cmsv2_483366cd-1866-5317-88f2-56bc69b4bc8d-9979549.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The EU is preparing to announce a proposal for restricting social media access to children. FILE\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ban it or build it? Europe\u2019s dilemma over social media<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939363-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2939363\" data-cid=\"9980360\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939363-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/03\/60\/480x270_cmsv2_703f52a9-6b6e-51d5-83d8-0f6c3d0aef14-9980360.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A woman shops in the refrigerated section of a supermarket in Montreuil, France, on 14 October 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Food prices in Europe: Where are grocery costs rising fastest?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939912-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939912\" data-cid=\"9983174\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939912-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/97\/80\/75\/320x180_cmsv2_3e4e3223-78b2-5511-a63e-f92d5c3c8b5a-9978075.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Source: AP Photo\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hackers probed Europe\u2019s fridge systems weeks before cyberattacks<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939826-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939826\" data-cid=\"9982515\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939826-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/25\/15\/320x180_cmsv2_ca06c4d3-4ac0-5795-beca-d29a8362e18c-9982515.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A protester holds a Fight Data Centers signs Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Mason, Mich. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Data centre backlash: Which AI companies were hit by US midterms?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939845-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939845\" data-cid=\"9982596\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939845-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/25\/96\/320x180_cmsv2_6d647aaa-5b02-593b-b3d4-3ea50f897c25-9982596.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - The TikTok logo is displayed on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen, Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo\/Michael Dwyer, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU tells TikTok to change &#8216;harmful&#8217; feed over &#8216;rabbit hole effect&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939749-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939749\" data-cid=\"9982216\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939749-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/22\/16\/320x180_cmsv2_73bca197-dfcb-5428-9076-924ef476ff25-9982216.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo a man walks past a Google sign outside with a span of the Bay Bridge at rear in San Francisco. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Parents sue Google after 13-year-old allegedly used AI to plan suicide<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939785-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939785\" data-cid=\"9982291\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2939785-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/22\/91\/320x180_cmsv2_a308ab75-82bf-54d1-a50d-7de683d6cef6-9982291.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Meta data centers operate Sept. 5, 2026, near Social Circle, Ga. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart, File)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Big Tech and green groups discuss the future of data centres in the US<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939912-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939912\" data-cid=\"9983174\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hackers probed Europe\u2019s fridge systems weeks before cyberattacks<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2797468-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2797468\" data-cid=\"9267924\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spain moves forward with plans to shorten the 40-hour working week<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-1883658-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"1883658\" data-cid=\"6577058\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Which countries are embracing a 4-day workweek and how is it going?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939845-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939845\" data-cid=\"9982596\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU tells TikTok to change &#8216;harmful&#8217; feed over &#8216;rabbit hole effect&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2939500-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2939500\" data-cid=\"9981024\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU bets \u20ac525 million on home-grown chip designers<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">A question many of us have posed in our minds is: where would you go if you had a time machine?Would you crank the dial backwards like Marty McFly and risk sabotaging your own future? Before you start packing, a physicist has some news that may ruin a few Marvel movies: you may only be able to go one way, and it isn&#8217;t backwards.Hongsheng Zhang, a researcher at the University of Jinan in China, has shown that in a broad class of theoretical universes, travelling into your own past is impossible.The whole argument rests on one fact. In relativity, the direction of light can never sit at right angles to an object\u2019s direction through time.Imagine spacetime sliced into layers that light itself can travel along. Anything moving slower or faster than light must cross these surfaces in the same direction, like climbing a staircase that never lets you step down.If you can only ever go up, you can never arrive back on the step where you started.The argument needs no exotic matter, no quantum effects and no assumptions about what fills the universe. &#8220;The whole content is bookkeeping about directions,&#8221; Zhang told ScienceAlert.The two loopholesPhysicists call journeys to the past &#8220;closed timelike curves&#8221;: routes through spacetime that loop back to the very place and moment they began. Einstein&#8217;s equations allow them in a handful of scenarios, such as near the core of a spinning black hole.Crucially, Zhang&#8217;s research &#8211; which is awaiting peer review &#8211; also reveals exactly how a time machine could achieve travelling back in time, and it claims there are only two ways.The first is twist. Imagine light rays that, instead of travelling side by side, spiral around one another like the strands of a rope. When that happens, the neat surfaces of light can&#8217;t form, so there is no one-dimensional staircase to keep you climbing.This is what happens near the centre of a spinning black hole. Einstein\u2019s theory says a spinning mass drags space and time around with it, an effect NASA\u2019s Gravity Probe B satellite measured around Earth in 2011. Close to the black hole\u2019s core the drag is so strong that moving \u201cforward in time\u201d is bent into a circle.A traveller following that circle would see their clock ticking forward in time as normal, yet their journey would arrive back at the moment they set off. Physicist Brandon Carter showed in 1968 that such loops exist inside spinning black holes.The second is the shape of the universe itself. The staircase might be perfectly built, but it could lead around the sides of a building, so the top step leads straight back to the bottom, like the impossible staircases in an Escher drawing. You would keep climbing and still end up where you began. Most of the time machines physicists have designed on paper, including those built from wormholes, rely on this trick.The theorem has its limits, as Zhang acknowledges.\u201cWhat it does not do is tell us whether nature permits any of this. That remains open, and it is the question I would most like to see answered,\u201d Zhang explained to ScienceAlert.Destination: tomorrowTrips to the future, by contrast, are already well established. Einstein showed that moving very fast, or sitting in strong gravity, slows your clock relative to everyone else&#8217;s. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station return to Earth a few thousandths of a second younger than they would otherwise have been, according to the European Space Agency.The work does not settle whether our own universe allows a journey to the past.For now, though, anyone planning a trip may want to pack for tomorrow rather than yesterday&#8230; unless you have the Time Stone of course.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/11\/08\/where-would-you-go-in-a-time-machine-physicist-says-time-travel-only-goes-forward&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/98\/00\/46\/1200x675_cmsv2_2489eaeb-b835-512d-97d4-ea4e62629349-9980046.jpg&#8221;] Earth News How cloudy weather is causing a problem for Europe\u2019s solar boom Moments Travelling to Europe? Here are the social etiquette tips to know Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | November 8th, 2026 \u2013 Morning No Comment Poland: Footage shows people taking cover as a gunman opens fire in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2244088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2244088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2244088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2244088\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2244088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2244088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2244088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}