We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Physics

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Elsewhen?

L. S. Wynn
By L. S. Wynn
Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 5,212
Share

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, nothing in the universe can exceed the speed of light (300,000 km/sec or 186,000 miles/second). This "universal speed limit" has all sorts of implications. One such implication is that each object in the universe has defined portions of the universe that it can and cannot influence within a given period of time.

Let us look at an example. On average, the sun is 150 million kilometers away from the earth, and it takes light about 8 minutes to make the trip. Therefore, even at the speed of light, I cannot make it to the surface of the sun in less than 8 minutes. Those areas that cannot be reached or influenced within a given period of time are said to be in the elsewhen.

Let us think about time in a linear fashion, with the future stretching out before us, and the past behind us. Those areas of the universe that we theoretically could have had an influence on are said to be within our past lightcone. Those areas that we can have an influence on (if we could travel at the speed of light) are said to be in our future lightcone. Anthing in the past or future lightcones are said to be in our "locality"; everything else is in the elsewhen.

If you are going to live to be 100 years old, there are many places in the universe that you could never get to even if you could travel at the universal speed limit and even if you devoted your entire life to the trip. In fact, even if you could live for thousands of years and could find a rocket that could travel at the speed of light, you would only be able to reach an infinitesimally small portion of the known universe.

Share
All The Science is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon10038 — On Mar 18, 2008

What would you say if I said there is something that does travel faster than light? What do you know about Superluninal tachyon, a faster than light particle that records and or remembers photons?

Just curious?

Share
https://www.allthescience.org/what-is-the-elsewhen.htm
Copy this link
All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.