why was time invented when we even can't get hold of it?
396539
Time wasn't invented, at least by humans. It was recognized, and there's a big difference. Because time wasn't invented, we don't know a lot of why and how it operates, or even if it exists at all. There is a school of thought that time is little more than a rationalization perpetuated to explain the differences in what we remember and what *is* now.
69551
Scientifically, time actually exists as a dimension, but a non-spatial one. Our perception of time may not be necessarily cover the whole concept of what time is. It could be possible that time is some type of "substance" even. But it exists as far as the universe and physics is concerned.\nSince our human experience only covers the present time as a "linear continuum", it's hard to understand time in terms of "existence". It's better to try to define first what "existence" means.\nFor example, for the Taoist, nothing actually exists.\nIn my opinion it's better to come up with a reasonable answer to the question then just put that baby to sleep, because you can throw away your time on a philosophical wild goose chase.\nYou can read "The Elegant Universe" and it'll be so mind-boggling that it might make you not worry about it too much.
10979
Do you really think you'll find an answer as to why the arrow of time exists on answers.yahoo.com?  For that matter, you won't get a satisfactory answer by polling the entire cal-tech faculty.\n\nBut I will think about it for the next few years... again.
550756
Time in the sense that you are speaking of it is a construct. all the minutes, the seconds and the hours are created by humans for human use. this being, if we decided to stop using them, time would continue because our measurements of it are simply arbitrary and for our convience. although our time system is based on our preception of where the sun is in relation to us, it is still not in perfect rhythem with the sun. every few years time is altered by a few seconds so as to not have us waking up when the sun is going down (although that would take a millenia). so time, in the sense of a clock,  is not a true mesurment it is just a system created to keep people synchronized. \n\nthere are a few theories on the true nature of time, but one of the most accepted ones is that we are on a continuem (the time-space). If time were to stop if we threw away all our time keeping peices by the same reasoning there would be no dementions if we got rid of all rulers and meter sticks. \n\nanother theory is that time does not exist at all and it is merely and illusion created by our brain to make sense of events. in this case time wouldnt stop because it never was. \n\nyou ask if time would "stand still". that makes the assumption that time is in constant movement. most ideas on time state that we are moving through time, not vice versa.
1102835
Nope.  There is no time like the present, so why waist it waiting.
670688
that is not possible. if something has not been invented yet per so does not exist...\nso that way no one will be able to provide you with one.
50046
I agree with the above answer....but think about this for a second.....if time travel ever becomes possible...we would all travel back in time to clean up stuff and change what we think we need to.....and since no one has shown up to change anything recently.....it just shows that time travel will never happen....
719023
well i've been wondering for a long time about the nature of time. It seems that since time is the fourth dimension and we are living in 3 dimensions we may never actually understand the nature of time. Physicists say that time and space doesnt exist as such but a combined entity called spacetime exists. Philosophers may have better answers.
68159
it is not that confusing. About three year ago on PBS there was a program that talked about time travel and one of the scientist stated that even if we could travel back in time we coul donly travel up to the point when the time machine was invented.\nBut do not forget there are manyh theories about time travel. For instance the grandfather paradox claims that you could not travel back in time, but others say you can but in a different dimension.
630252
Teleportation. We at least have theory on how teleportation could work. If the universe under discussion permits of time machines, then no time machines will be invented. The noted s/f author Larry Niven wrote a couple excellent essays on these topics, which I recommend to your attention. They will provide all the information you could possibly need.
756041
If we'd invented God recently he would probably be a bit more tech savvy. Since people are hanging onto the God invented a few thousand years ago he's a little behind the times. Writing on stone tablets was probably cutting edge stuff back then. Funny question!
881103
Two things only, time and speed.  We dont have enough of both to go anywhere.
1152196
I think it could be possible. Even though some people ask why someone doesn't come back and tell us this, if you came back in time and told everyone this, how would you know what effect it would have? What would probably happen it that they when it's invented, nobody will be able to use it, and then it might as well not exsist. There's irony for you.
103746
Hoax.\n\nTime travel is almost certainly impossible in our universe (the whole cause-and-effect thing). And there is certainly no time travel machine. Even if the machine was secret, some of the physical basis for such a machine would be known. And its not.
1105020
Possibly although Stephen Hawking once said that if time travel existed, we would see plenty of tourists from the future already and we would have historic accounts of them. There are plenty of theories of how it could work but no definitive solution has been developed.
1156487
The accurate answer to your second question is "not really".  Our current system for measuring time is based on the movements of our planet & our solar system, which of course did not exist in their current state at the beginning.  Those units, however, have been standardized for convenience & accuracy to reference the cesium atom, so can be back-calculated.\n\nThe answer to your first question is that time began at the instant of the so-called 'big bang'.  Before that there was nothing to reference it again, so the passage of time had no meaning or substance.\n\nWeird, huh?
969010
What a debatable query! Very much suited to my interests. :)\n\n            First things first. Doorman proposed a fabrication that amused me. My beloved, time can bear itself in energy, yet memory hold itself solitary in such consideration. Memory is another term one is to consider in terms of biological structures, not energy. Were time to store itself in such energy one to explode by the time they get old XP. Yet your proposition holds itself true in one aspect. We forget. Like we lose energy. Yet memory holds itself in alliance to life, an indescribable, unphysical term.\n\n            Now for my proposal. We bear to our knowledge the sphere of our vision. What we see, we believe. Yet we go on FORWARD in time. Like a fluid. Space-Time-Continuum...\n\n            In accordance to one of Einstein's theory, the time holds itself in a stretch of another dimension all together. We know so much of time, yet in reality we know N-O-T-H-I-N-G.\n\n           Ask me why? The answer bears itself in utmost simplicity. We can only conclude on matters we are able perceive in correct mannerism. We do not bear such a sense organ nor are we able to implement over 4% of our brain, so as to perceive the concept of time in proper ideology. Therefore we cannot forge a concept concrete enough to bear the yoke of your question.\n\n          Yet we can ALWAYS speculate! In such speculations, we can come to many ways to rewind time. Suppose time IS a fabric. A vast expanse of infinite non-molecular material. If we are to possess a way to make a cut in this fabric, we can gain access to two different periods in time.\n\n          Now here's the boomer. What if time DOES repeat itself? Now stick to me while I take you to a psycho flight. Seatbelts on? good.\n\n         So far we have considered time to be a concept in whose relation we all exist. Now imagine this. WHAT if time is relative to every individual? No-one has been able to explain the term 'life'. Maybe this is because life IS time? What we consider time is the fabruication of us mortals. What if time exists independently for everyone? When one perishes, he is actually going to REPEAT his so called 'life'. Perhaps he period from the Big Bang to the collapse of the universe has repeated itself millions of times already!\n\n             Now thats a speculation. No-one can state it correct or incorrect, for one doesnot bear such perception. Perhaps we are just the play-stuff of a larger colossal existence. Then again, what is existence?