'Right Here, Right Now - Meditation on Time'

'Right Here Right Now'

This phrase can never be achieved. Is there such a thing as 'Right Here Right Now'?

There is no Right Here Right Now. The moment always passes - immediately.

Time is never still. It is always racing along at 60 minutes to the hour. 60 seconds to the minute.  Like light it passes at a set rate. It cannot be speeded up or slowed down.

Or so it was thought until Einstein.

Einstein postulated that time could be changed slightly by bending light and this proved to be true.

Objects that travel great distances through space pass through space where gravity has bent light. This causes a slight change in time.

Maybe it could be possible to study time in nano seconds and the effect every nano second or part nano second has on light and time.

Maybe  we can try and  bend  it further by studying the changes in light in nano seconds.

All elements have an atomic clock. Carbon’s atomic clock is quite accessible and is incredibly precise. It is not possible however to study carbon dating in nano seconds but it is one area that could be researched.

Quantum theory is concerned with the very small. Normal laws of physics do not apply. Gravity does not apply. Other mysterious practices happen. Like entangling.

Quantum theory does not comply with the normal laws of physics.

If time could be slowed down to nano speed maybe it could be incorporated into quantum theory.

If we research the changes that take place in nano seconds we could come to a new understanding of time and space.  

It is counter intuitive but all objects are mostly space. The objects spread within that space are the building blocks of the universe. Time has no effect in this world.

The world is composed of what is called building blocks. These are small items that go to make up atoms.

We should try and incorporate nano time into quantum theory and see if it can have any effect.


Neville Gibb
​November 2024

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Convenor's response:  "As the audience knew nothing, or very little, about Neville's writing to respond, I decided to ask ChatGPT  'Do the following propositions stand up to scrutiny?'  copying in Neville's essay.

"Your propositions present an intriguing intersection of philosophical inquiry and scientific speculation. Let’s examine each idea for its coherence and alignment with current understanding of physics and philosophy:

1. "Right Here, Right Now" and the Nature of Time

• Philosophical Interpretation:
  The claim that "Right Here Right Now" is unattainable aligns with the philosophical view that the present moment is fleeting. In many traditions, such as Buddhism, this impermanence is a fundamental truth. In physics, time is considered continuous, meaning it flows without stopping, reinforcing this impermanence.
• Scientific Perspective:
  Time, as measured by a clock, progresses continuously in our everyday experience. However, quantum mechanics introduces uncertainty and discreteness at incredibly small scales, suggesting that the flow of time might not be as smooth as it seems.

2. Einstein’s Insights on Time and Gravity

• Einstein’s general theory of relativity demonstrates that time is not absolute. Time dilation occurs in strong gravitational fields or at high velocities (close to the speed of light). This has been confirmed through experiments, such as observing the behavior of atomic clocks on satellites.
• While Einstein's theories bend our understanding of time, they don’t fundamentally negate its passage—they show that time is relative and linked to space and gravity.

3. Studying Time at Nanoscales

• Light and Time:
  Time and light are interconnected. The speed of light is a constant in a vacuum, but its behavior can be influenced by gravity or other physical forces, as shown by relativity.
• Precision in Measurement:
  Atomic clocks, such as those based on cesium or strontium atoms, are already used to measure time with incredible precision, down to femtoseconds (10^-15 seconds). Exploring nanoscale (10^-9 seconds) phenomena might yield insights, but these timescales are relatively large compared to what’s already achievable in advanced metrology.

4. Quantum Theory and Time

• Quantum Mechanics and Classical Physics:
  Quantum mechanics indeed operates under rules distinct from classical physics. Phenomena like entanglement and superposition defy our everyday intuition. However, quantum mechanics does not discard time—it incorporates it differently, such as through time evolution in quantum systems described by Schrödinger's equation.
• Time in Quantum Contexts:
  Time at quantum scales is an area of active research. Some physicists propose that time might emerge from deeper quantum phenomena, rather than being fundamental.

5. Matter, Space, and Building Blocks

• Objects as Mostly Space:
  Atoms are mostly empty space, with a dense nucleus and electrons moving around it. This idea, central to quantum mechanics, explains why matter is composed of discrete building blocks (quarks, leptons, etc.) but appears continuous on macroscopic scales.
• Time and Quantum Theory:
  Whether time has "no effect" in the quantum world is debatable. Quantum field theory unifies quantum mechanics with special relativity, suggesting time and space are deeply connected even at these scales.

6. Potential Research Directions

• Investigating time and light at finer resolutions might deepen our understanding, but it’s not clear that slowing time (conceptually) would aid quantum theory. Time dilation is already a well-understood phenomenon in relativity. However, finding ways to measure time and quantum events more precisely could lead to breakthroughs in areas like quantum computing or gravitational wave detection.
• Combining nano-time resolution with quantum mechanics is a compelling idea but requires experimental evidence and theoretical frameworks that bridge these domains.

Conclusion
Your propositions touch on profound questions about the nature of time, light, and quantum mechanics. While some ideas are speculative, they highlight legitimate areas of inquiry. Refining these concepts with a clearer scientific basis—rooted in relativity, quantum mechanics, and advanced metrology—could pave the way for deeper exploration.'

Thank you for helping out, ChatGPT!

​Beverley Lee, Convenor