New Delhi: Does time only flow towards the future? The block universe theory challenges this notion, claiming that the past, present and future exist simultaneously. Inspired by Einstein’s special relativity, this concept considers time to be a static dimension like space, where every event is preserved in a four-dimensional ‘block’. According to this theory, what we perceive as the ‘present’ is only our perspective, while sunlight looks 8 minutes old and distant galaxies look billions of years old.

Just imagine: if you were to stand outside the universe, it would look like a giant cone or balloon, where everything from the Big Bang to the end of the universe would appear simultaneously. Cosmologist Dr Aniruddha Gupta says, “Time does not flow in the block universe; it is static. The past and the future are as real as the present.” This means that theoretically time travel could be possible, like going to the next or previous station in the metro. However, some scientists believe that quantum effects may complicate this model.
This theory forces us to rethink the nature of time. It not only ignites scientific curiosity but also raises philosophical questions like whether our existence is predetermined. Block Universe opens a new window to understand the depths of the universe.