By Muniba Waqar
Recently there have been a lot of studies popping up about how people that are chronically late are late because they perceive time differently. Generally, such people tend to juggle multiple things at once and seem to be under the impression that they have all the time in the world. Anyone observing such a person’s life would see them constantly scrambling to get things done, but the person observed doesn’t see it. However, what if time actually did flow differently for them?
In 1905, Einstein came up with a theory called Special Relativity and from that stemmed the concept of time dilation. What is time dilation? Time dilation basically means that time is relative to gravity and velocity, that time can slow down or speed up if either of those variables are manipulated or altered. So, under the theory of general and special relativity, this would mean that time will slow down the faster you are going or the closer you are to a gravitational field (the stronger the gravitational field, the slower time passes).
An experiment called the Hafele-Keating experiment was conducted by physicist Joseph Hafele and astronomer Richard Keating. In the experiment, they took four cesium atomic clocks and placed them on planes, which they then flew around the world. An atomic clock uses the resonance frequencies of atoms to measure time instead of a mechanical system. The purpose of the experiment was to test Einstein’s time dilation theory and for that they needed the clocks to be moving at high speed for a long period of time, so they flew the clocks twice around the world. Those moving clocks were then compared against other atomic clocks that had been kept stationary at the United States Naval Observatory. Sure enough, Einstein being the genius he was, was right. The clocks that were placed on the planes flying Eastward (in the direction of the Earth’s rotation) recorded less time than the ones that had remained stationary on ground. The clocks that were flown Westward (moving in opposite direction of the Earth’s rotation) ticked faster, due to the planes moving slower than the Earth. The effects of time dilation were minuscule; however, they were present.
It is important to note that the person who is experiencing the effects of time dilation does not start moving in slow motion, for them time is passing by as normal but someone observing from the outside in will see that person move slowly. Anything with mass has a gravitational pull. This is true of anything on this planet as well, including humans, but because we are so small our gravitational pull is almost non-existent. This is probably a good thing, otherwise we would be sucking all kinds of smaller things into our gravitational field and have random stuff orbiting us at all times. The magnitude of this finding could well translate into something far more incredible.
The way we experience time is relative to the gravitational pull of the Earth and its distance from other objects with a gravitational pull. On the other hand, if we go through space, we will experience time in varying rates. However, what if the speed of our thoughts were also affected by time dilation? The brain is a computer – every action that allows us to think, feel and process is made through electrical firing of our neurons. Even though our neurons aren’t moving they are active and the rate of such activity could affect our perception of time. The electrical impulses that allow us to think have mass because there are electrons that are moving in order for us to think.
Given that the fastest nerve impulse in the human body is approximately 270 mph, we can assume that human thought is formed at the same rate. Consider someone who thinks more thoughts than the average human on Earth; if you multiply 270 mph with the number of thoughts they form, then that person may be differently affected by time dilation than your typical individual. Our brain is a complex system and we are very far from understanding it; in fact, scientists are still figuring out how fast the brain thinks a thought. However, it’s possible that our brains are picking up on the slowing of time at a subconscious level. While we are physically unaware that time may have slowed due to its very minuscule shift in rate, our brain may notice. As such, people who are always late lack punctuality because their brain is accounting for the extra time, causing them to set unrealistic goals.
While we are still a long way from understanding our brains and whether or not it can actually pick up on the shift in time and whether a person who has a busier mind does in fact perceive time differently, there is one thing we could take away from the enigma of time. Time is relative and it’s real, not just an abstract concept. Science has proven that time is as real as light and gravity. This information has the power to transform our view of time – if we let it. You could let it worry you about how old you are and how many years it would take you to achieve a goal. Or you could let it propel you to act. Often, the difference between the winner of a race and second place is a millisecond. What is this moment’s hesitation costing you? You decide.
About Muniba Waqar:
APEGA Engineer In Training with an Electrical engineering degree from the University of Calgary. Experienced working as team lead in multiple projects and possesses strong interpersonal, communication, time management, project management, teamwork, and analytical skills. A passionate engineer, aspiring entrepreneur and professional writer.
Email: muniba_waqar@outlook.com
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