Is Space Time Real?

What Is SpaceTime?

In physics, spacetime is any mathematical model which fuses the three dimensions of space and the one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional manifold. The fabric of space-time is a conceptual model combining the three dimensions of space with the fourth dimension of time. Spacetime diagrams can be used to visualize relativistic effects, such as why different observers perceive differently where and when events occur.

Until the 20th century, it was assumed that the three-dimensional geometry of the universe (its spatial expression in terms of coordinates, distances, and directions) was independent of one-dimensional time. The famous physicist Albert Einstein helped develop the idea of space-time as part of his theory of relativity. Prior to his pioneering work, scientists had two separate theories to explain physical phenomena: Isaac Newton's laws of physics described the motion of massive objects, while James Clerk Maxwell's electromagnetic models explained the properties of light.

How Real Is SpaceTime?

We started with quantum weirdness and saw that matter is wavy at the atomic and sub-atom levels. But there is a much deeper representation of these sub-atomic particles in the form of one dimensional vibrating strings. These one-dimensional strings vibrate to produce and render mass into sub-atomic particles. These particles in turn have their own spins or rotations and vibrations. They seem to exist both as waves and matter at the same time. If you observe these waves, they collapse into matter. They also exhibit strange properties like quantum entanglement, where the two parts of a photon seem to communicate with each other faster than the speed of light. The weirdness that started in the small world of electrons disappears at the classical level that we live in, only to reappear as the strange fabric of the ten dimension space-time in the macroscopic world.

The mystery of space-time only deepens as we analyze it more. Combining space with time itself was a revolutionary step in the history of science. But this is not enough to explain the true picture of our universe. As we move in space, time also gets impacted. It is impossible to only move in space and not in time and vice verse. In the previous chapter, we have seen how space and time got entwined with each other forever. But String Theory brought extra dimensions to the space-time fabric. These extra dimensions are so insanely small and curled up that they can actually penetrate the space-time fabric and make holes in it. They can rupture space-time and repair them as well. The shape of space-time with 10 dimensions, is impossible to visualize even with the latest software on a computer screen.

When the sun attracts Earth through gravity, how does this gravitational force actually traverse in space-time? We see light emanating from the sun. Light, which is considered as one form of electromagnetic energy (used in mobile communications), is made up of trillions of photons (particles of light). Floods of photons rush continuously from the sun to Earth. The latest theories physics say that gravity, like light, is also made of particles of force called gravitons. String Theory says that these gravitons are produced by a particular pattern of vibrating strings in 10-dimensional space-time. Thus, when we stand in the balcony of our house, we are immersed in enormous quantities of gravitons which are generated by the orderly executed vibrations of the colossally large number of single dimensional strings. This beautiful symphony of our universe, that is being played on a stage of a 10-dimensional space-time, is what Man is longing to unravel one day.