How to Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel

by Brian Clegg

A pop science look at time travel technology, from Einstein to Ronald Mallett to present day experiments. Forget time travel is real.In How to Build a Time Machine, Brian Clegg provides an understanding of what time is and how it can be manipulated. He explores the fascinating world of physics and the remarkable possibilities of real time travel that emerge from quantum entanglement, superluminal speeds, neutron star cylinders and wormholes in space. With the fascinating paradoxes of time travel echoing in our minds will we realize that travel into the future might never be possible? Or will we realize there is no limit on what can be achieved, and take on this ultimate challenge? Only time will tell.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Physics, Time Travel, Adult

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 6, 2011

About the author

Brian's latest books, Ten Billion Tomorrows and How Many Moons does the Earth Have are now available to pre-order. He has written a range of other science titles, including the bestselling Inflight Science, The God Effect, Before the Big Bang, A Brief History of Infinity, Build Your Own Time Machine and Dice World.

Along with appearances at the Royal Institution in London he has spoken at venues from Oxford and Cambridge Universities to Cheltenham Festival of Science, has contributed to radio and TV programmes, and is a popular speaker at schools. Brian is also editor of the successful www.popularscience.co.uk book review site and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Brian has Masters degrees from Cambridge University in Natural Sciences and from Lancaster University in Operational Research, a discipline originally developed during the Second World War to apply the power of mathematics to warfare. It has since been widely applied to problem solving and decision making in business.

Brian has also written regular columns, features and reviews for numerous publications, including Nature, The Guardian, PC Week, Computer Weekly, Personal Computer World, The Observer, Innovative Leader, Professional Manager, BBC History, Good Housekeeping and House Beautiful. His books have been translated into many languages, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Thai and even Indonesian.

Reviews

[Victoria Hawco · Rating 3 out of 5]

No pictograph instructions, don’t read for practical advice.

[Dasaleph · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seemed to me he was struggling to fill the pages. He repeats himself over and over again. Found it dull, often annoying. Nothing in there I hadn't already read somewhere else where it was presented in a more interesting way.

[Tarık Çayır · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liseden beri bu denli yoğun bir fiziğe maruz kalmamıştım. Kitabı okumaya başladığım an zamanda yolculuk yapmaya başladım. Bu yazıyı 2019 yılının Ekim ayında kaleme alıyorum.

Einstein'dan başlayıp bilim kurgu yazarlarına uzanan bu macerada zaman zaman hayal kırıklığına uğrasam bile zaman makinesinin artık tam olarak nasıl yapılacağını biliyorum.

Kitap zaman makinesinin nasıl yapılacağını birçok bilim adamlarının teorilerini farklı farklı bölümlerde inceleyerek ele alıyor. Bölümler nasıl yapılır ile başlıyor. Daha sonra nasıl uygulanacağı ile devam ederek günümüzün teknolojisi ile nasıl yapılamayacağını anlatıyor.

Bir nevi kitap tam olarak zaman konusu üzerinde çalışmış bilim adamlarının yaptığı çalışmaları kolay bir şekilde anlatmak için yapılmış diyebilirim. Kısaca damıtılmış bir eser olarak değerlendirilebilir.

Burada yazarın konu bütünlüğü ve kurgusunu es geçmemek gerek. Güzel bir iş çıkartmış.

Kitabın dili ne çok hafif ne çok ağır. Orta şekerli diyebilirim. Bol fizik ile yoğurulduğundan gayet makul bir seviyede olduğunu düşünüyorum.

Bilim kurgu romanlarında ve filmlerinde zamanda yolculuk yapmaktan sıkıldıysanız bu kitap tam size göre. Beni kapak tasarımı tavladı.

[Kacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

How could I not read this book with a title like that? I love time travel stories, from Chrono Trigger to The Time Machine to Back to the Future, fiction has always had an interesting way of dealing with the concept. So looking at it through a realistic eye sounded interesting to me.

And there were parts I really did find interesting. I liked learning more about the different scientists who contributed to the idea, what they worked on, even some of their home lives were touched on here. And there were a few practical things I learned, like where the hell we got Wednesday from, and how our ways of counting out years has shifted over the centuries. That's actually fascinating stuff.

The writing style felt pretty approachable to me, but then again I love science and learning so I wanted to read it. The only real issue was that it did feel like it was saying the same thing in different ways. And yeah, the title is super deceptive. It's basically a book version of clickbait. It does provide the science of time travel and it does talk about someone building a time machine, but the "how to" part is more just all the math and physics that would go into such a feat.

So, yeah. It was an interesting read, but the conclusion is don't count on blasting off in the Epoch or having Rufus drop down with a phone booth anytime soon.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book about the wonders of time travel, this one isn't very enthusiastic. The science-history is interesting enough, although if that is what you're after I recommend A Brief History Of Time and The Physics of the Impossible as the best bits here are already attributed to Hawking and Kaku. The trouble with pop science books like this--and it isn't Clegg's fault at all--is that I'm a fan of the genre. I already know about Young's double slit experiment, relativistic time at speeds approaching light, and the theoretical existence of black holes. All I am looking for is enthusiastic presentation.

I wasn't expecting blue prints or anything, but with a title like this one, I was hoping for something more thematic.

[Ernie Cordell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I so not wish to punish this book unduly, because it is a fine book, I feel a need to punish its genre, because it has got out of hand. There may be some justification that a book on time travel might be allowed the flaw of which I speak, though I'm tempted to categorise the treatment as universally unforgivable. The genre of which I speak is commonly referred to as "popular science," which seems to enjoy no distinction from unpopular science. The flaw to which I allude is becoming a history book, as though, if you are unable to convey grand scientific principles to scatterbrained ninnies such as ourselves, then it is acceptable to let your narrative stray into something we might be able to understand, namely, the history of these inscrutable scientific discoveries. But since history books are better focussed (not fawkused) on the past than on the future, a time travel book might have no other direction to go; If it is to be about the future and some yet-to-be time, then perhaps it is forgivable to give an account of the events that lead up to the yet to be.

[Glen Stripling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a science fiction writer that has written on wormholes and time travel. So I'm alwasys on the lookout for the the lastest research on time travel theory.

That is why Mr. Clegg's book was a great surprise for me and and an easy to read work on the basics or the reltavistic principles of the features involved with the traveling through spacetime.

His chapter on the story of Ronald Mallett and his research was an incredible chapter on the newest research on this exiting subject.

I get a lot of questions on time travel, many of which I am not sure about. So I will be happy to suggest this book for anyone.

[Miri Niedrauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite disappointed. In contradiction to the title, this book in fact does NOT provide instructions for building a time machine.

Just kidding. How To Build a Time Machine explores relativity, the mind-blowing observations that arise from quantum theory, and the paradoxes associated with manipulating time. Clegg discusses the nature of time and space in a readily accessible manner. You don’t need a degree in theoretical physics to understand his explanations - a healthy dose of nerdiness will more than suffice.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of it is really technical, but very informative which leads me to wonder why Sheldon and Leonard (Big Bang Theory) are always waiting for time traveling selves to walk through the door? Being physicists they should know the rules about traveling to the past. Can't say much more without giving the plot away!

[Jon Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was having a conversation with my friend about the space problem of time travel. You see people in movies step in to a machine, set a date, hit 88mph and they're suddenly in 1955. But Earth wasn't here in 1955, it was perhaps in the same position in its orbit, but not in the galaxy or the universe as a whole. In my search for these answers, I found this book

Brian Clegg explains many of the problems presented with time travel, the paradoxes involved, as well as many theories in which it could be possible. He manages to do this in a way which was both entertaining and that I, an uneducated laiman, could understand.

[Andrej · Rating 3 out of 5]

This popular science book is trying to do three different things at the same time: describe some basic physics concepts, such as electromagnetism, special relativity, and general relativity, discuss how these theories treat the possibility of time travel, and narrate anecdotes about physicists associated with these theories. As it's hard to achieve all three goals at the same time, the book lacks depth.

[Amy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Clegg speaks knowledgeably of the essence of space and time, luring in readers who seek to entertain the scientifically intrigued aspect of their persona. This book was wonderfully written, offering readers a glimpse into the possibilities that may arise with a more translucent comprehension of the quantum theory and its implications.

[Helfren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liking this book. The history of theory on Time Travel started by the H.G Wells a fiction writer sparks the possibility of us mortal to travel into the past or the future. Lots of ways and suggestions from the book. However, I have one, if somehow we can create a device that can stimulate speed of light and then make a circle of it, what would happen to the middle of the circle? Just a thought

[Benjamin Pierce · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm normally a big fan of Brian Clegg's physics books, but this one was a bit of a slog. Some of the physics was very interesting, but too much of it was unproven conjecture or engineering feats that could never be feasible. The title was also a little misleading: should have been called 'Why time travel is impossible'.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting in the sections I could understand. I do not have a background in physics, but I was able to learn several concepts/tidbits. On the more in depth physics sections, I had to skip. The book was interesting enough for me to finish, but not a book I would buy for my home library.

[Carlos Alonso-Niemeyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reads slowly. It took me a year to get through the book. I was expecting a science fiction/ technical story. But instead, there were a lot of theoretical analysis Mixed with references that lead to rabbit holes. It reminded me of the Arabian nights.

But for the portions of the book that captivated me, I did enjoyed it.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful summary of how time has been conceived, measured, and studied going back to Greek philosophers and extending up to present day experiments and speculation. I liked the tone of this book and the author’s presentation.

[Kaitlyn Ayers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. The author went through a variety of variables to consider in time travel, but he left out many points and had simple mathematical errors that made the whole point of the book irrelevant. It takes a special kind of idiot to publish incorrect addition.

[alper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daha eğlenceli ve ilginç detayların olduğu bir kitap sanarak aldım. Çok fazla fizik ve kuantum yüzünden sonunu getirmekte zorlandım.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

In depth science behind time travel with references to cult followings of tv and movies. I found some of it far above my head, but really enjoyed stretching my brain.

[Richard Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellently written, brilliantly visualised. A must-read.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Nothing puzzles me more than time and space; and yet nothing puzzles me less, for I never think about them." - Charles Lamb

[Eddy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite interesting concepts that were at times hard to follow due to a lack of diagrams.

[Ned Huston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I considered giving this book four or five stars because I got a lot out of it and because I think Brian Clegg is a terrific science writer. But I just can't get past the problem of the title. This book will not help you to make a time machine. Just the opposite really. Although he never says so, the result of reading his book is clearly that given the laws of physics, time travel is impossible. This is clearly implied in his examples, for instance when he suggests you could time travel "if you moved a neutron star" into just the right position (imagine the lever you would need to do that!). The impossibilities mount up as the book goes along, which was helpful to me in the end as a science fiction writer, because I can see you can either have the laws of physics or you can have time travel, so clearly, the laws of physics have to go. There is a character in my novel that writes a science column, and I considered naming him Brian Clegg as homage to this terrific writer, but then I reasoned that since Clegg has built his career on explaining science, he might not want his name attached to a character who explains the pseudo-science I invented so that time travel could be possible, so I renamed the character.

[Resa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before beginning my review of this book I want to make it perfectly clear I have very little prior knowledge of quantum mechanics and physics that I used to inform my reading and that was my motivation to pick up Brian Clegg’s book. I love physics but hate math, which is a bad combination in the academic/practical world of physics. I do have the background of some college level physics, and that was enough for me to understand the concepts the way Clegg explains them in his book.

Unlike what the title suggests this book isn’t all about theories on how time travel could be possible, in fact, most of these experiments and theories aren’t even talked about until over half way through the book. The first half of the book is spent discussing how theorists came to these modern day hypotheses. Clegg explores the science fiction that started it all, cover H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine and the always popular t.v. show Dr. Who and then compares these methods of time travel to what we now know about physical time travel. He then starts to explore the early theories that led to current ones and spends a lot of time giving background on the scientists, a lot of which reminded me of my high school physics classes. But once you make it through that he begins to explore modern theories on the possibilities of time travel.

As many of the other reviewers have stated, this is a “pop science” book. It’s not for readers who already have an advanced knowledge of these physical theories. If you do…you’ll get bored with all the background. For someone like me, who’s looking to expand my knowledge of quantum mechanics and modern physics as a hobbyist, this book was a perfect combination. Clegg gives the reader enough background that you could (almost) pick up this book with no previous knowledge of physics and understand it. The sci-fi pop culture references, and anecdotes about scientists keep it from sounding like a journal article, and the theories he shares are interesting.

Overall I think to enjoy this book you need to come to it with the right attitude. This book is not written for readers who already have an extensive knowledge of the theories discussed. It’s made to help everyone else understand these concepts, as kind of a “dip your toe in the water” before diving into more science-heavy books.

[Glen Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

No self-respecting science fiction writer would try to write without actually reading some science, and this is more ammunition for my speculation gun. Brian Clegg holds a physics degree from Cambridge University, and is the author of other popular books on physics such as Before the Big Bang and Armageddon Science. He does a good job of writing about some pretty heady stuff (quantum theory) without losing most of his readers. In contrast to most physicists, he also had the ability to communicate complex subjects in a very readable way.

Before you head down to Lowe’s with your credit card, ready to buy all the necessary items for your own time machine, Clegg makes it clear that while there are no physical laws that prevent us from building a time machine, it will be very, very, very hard to do so. At one point, he talks about Ronald Mallett, a respected physicist who has committed his life to the feasibility of a time machine. For $11 million, he figures he can build a machine that will slow down time, at least a little bit. Therefore, anyone in the chamber who steps out of the chamber after the procedure will actually be going forward in time. The next step, actually traveling forward far enough to make it meaningful, would take a lot more money and a lot more effort.

According to Clegg, there are certain rules that will limit the time traveler that at this point must be observed. One of the most disappointing is the fact that you can’t go back to before there was a time machine. That means you can’t go back and visit your great-grandfather. That’s disappointing. You could conceivably build a time machine, travel forward 20 years, build another time machine, then use it to go back to where you started. If you kept building machines, you could go pretty far into the future, and get back.

I won’t give you all the details of how this is all possible (hint: it involves either wormholes or faster than light travel), but his arguments are sound. It’s just that our technology hasn’t caught up with the theory yet.

Sigh. And I had my garage all ready for construction….

I give this book four out of five stars.

[Douglas Lord · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time travel? That would free up my schedule for reading and give me the opportunity to get a better mortgage rate and fix that pesky arrest record. Though not a how-to, this absorbing title enjoyably discusses scientific topics ranging from the zeroth law of thermodynamics to the evolution of the calendar‚ all in relation to the concept of time. Clegg points out that memory is a one-way time machine‚ though I was hoping for a phone-booth-esque machine with buttons and levers. Reading his summary of Einstein’s theory of special relativity had me thinking, hey, maybe there’s something to this‚ and I’m the guy who doesn’t know how to work his GPS. Clegg’s ponderings on movement and dimensions‚ akin to Isaac Asimov’s riffing in Of Time, Space, and Other Things (1965)‚ even allowed me to forget temporarily the reality of needing to regrout the bathroom tile; in my world, that’s a time machine. Good book, but for an actual machine you need to go buy yourself a refrigerator. After the install, pop a coldun and look around. Whattya got? The box the fridge came in. That’s your time machine, bro. Get out some of your special colored pens‚ go with the glitter ink‚ color the apparatus, and bang-o, there you go: time machine-o-la.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time travel is a concept that is today more science fact than science fiction, but the key to understanding how this could become reality is the main question that Brian Clegg addresses in this rather interesting book. Clegg takes us on a journey that takes us from the very basic question of what is time all the way through the question of paradoxes. In the journey he examines the feasibility of time travel & the energy as well as physics behind the concept. He also describes just what it might take to make each of these various concepts possible. It's a nice change for a non-fiction book to not get bogged down in the math of how this happens, but it's the theory that makes this enjoyable. Granted the theory behind this requires a bit of an understanding of modern day astronomy which without the general layperson would be lost. Also it's not hard to get somewhat lost in the chapter dealing w/ paradoxes which are perhaps the most confusing aspect of time travel in general. Overall, Clegg offers a book that is full of possibilities & an ending 2 paragraphs that state pretty much what we now know in that time travel is real & is a possibility. Just when that will happen only time will truly tell.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a science fiction author I found this book an interesting read on the physics that can make time travel possible. It re-confirmed in my mind that the most likely means will be available in the distant future once there are starships that can make extended voyages at close to the speed of light, thus creating the time dilation Einstein's Theory of Relativity predicts. That would take the star traveler on a one-way trip into the future.

Other theoretical means for time travel such as passing through a wormhole, using a neutron star to warp space-time or rotating a massive cylinder at an extremely high speed all create huge engineering problems that would need to be overcome.

One idea that needs further experimentation and verification is the use of a number of powerful ring lasers to warp space-time, a field explored by Ronald Mollett of Penn State University.

The book also discusses the potential for sending messages into the past.

In addition to its thorough coverage of time travel, I appreciate the author's clear explanation of such concepts as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, Gabriel's Horn, quantum entanglement and others.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Stephen King's "1963", reading about book about whether or not time travel is real seemed to make sense. Clegg reviews the mysteries of quantum mechanics and historic experiments, even science fiction, that all touch on time travel. While the quantum physics gets tedious and hard to follow - even though Clegg does his best to keep things at a lay level - the reality that comes through is that time travel is probably not possible. Clegg remains optimistic - look how far technology has taken us in the last 100 years - but lining up 10 neutron stars, getting them to spin in the same direction, and then travel at close to the speed of light to jump a few years into the past just seems beyond capable.

Probably the best way to time travel: (1) just live - you're traveling into the future all the time or (2) go to sleep for a few years - when you wake you'll have travelled into the future and you'll be someone who came from the past.