From: "Strong, Lee" <StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL>
To: "WSFAList (E-mail)" <WSFAList at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Time Travel in your Future
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 17:00:57 -0500
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

	The movie The Time Machine (2002) sparked some interesting
discussion about time travel.  I'm in favor of it and look forward to it in
the future.
	A bit of background here.  I am a major fan of alternate histories,
and a minor fan of orthodox time travel stories.  I also read a lot of real
history and historical fiction.  Currently, I am reading up on real
cosmology and spacetime physics, primarily as background for a projected
series of alternate history novels, but also because it's fun in itself.
	The bottom line is that serious real world physicists are looking
very seriously at (1) time travel being possible in the real universe, and
(2) the real universe having multiple universes within it -- all very much
like science fiction writers have been saying for years.  At present, time
machines seem to require things that can't be produced by current or
foreseeable technology, but there are at least theoretical ways to produce a
"closed timelike curve" -- which is real world physicists' jargon for a time
machine broadly defined.  Likewise, multiple universes within a
meta-universe or multiverse are/is gaining increasing acceptance, and, at
least in theory, appear to work like branching alternate historical
universes do in H. Beam Piper and other authors' imaginations.  These
concepts are all very cutting edge and some REALLY FUN STUFF is likely to be
validated within the next few years.  Of course, given the way real science
works, some really fun ideas will certainly be shot down in the next few
years as well, but life's like that.  At least in this universe!
	Steve Smith said, "Truth is stranger than fiction because fiction
has to make sense."  True, but truth and fiction are written for different
audiences.

Lee/3/Right