Reflecting on Time

A recent article (1) proposes that time reflection has been demonstrated in the laboratory. As the article describes, spatial reflection of electromagnetic waves is routine. But the idea that the more fascinating part of space-time could also be reflected, has many implications.

Over a century ago, a man with nearly two brains conceptualized space-time in the most elegant way possible. It took 200 years for such a discontinuity to happen and now nearly 100 years later, there has been little fundamental advancement. As the technologists get excited about toys like ChatGPT, there is a significant downside. A machine that can digest vast amount of historical data and then regurgitate facts may ultimately destroy the human brain.

Fundamental advancements in human understanding does not happen from mechanical and computational toys. In fact, the popularity of these tools may create a generation that may remain prisoners to the status-quo. Experimentation should be delegated to theory and imagination, for without the latter, humans could become mere automatons, ruled by machines. The mythical “productivity jump,” that was seen after word processors and spreadsheets arrived will be repeated by advancing technologies. These advancements will reprogram humans to be suboptimal and if the current trend continues, they will hit a ceiling of advancements and those waiting for the next genius will be sorely disappointed.

Computational and mechanical toys may destroy human ingenuity that made them survive for nearly a million years.

(1) Time Reflections Are Real: What Are They, and How Do They Work? (popularmechanics.com)