time

For centuries, humanity viewed time as a universal constant, a steady river flowing at the same speed for everyone, everywhere. This Newtonian perspective suggested that a second on Earth was identical to a second on the surface of a distant star.<br><br>However, Albert Einstein shattered this perception with his theory of relativity. He proposed that time is not an absolute backdrop but is woven together with space into a four-dimensional fabric called space-time. This means that time is flexible; it can stretch and compress depending on gravity and velocity. This phenomenon, known as time dilation, implies that time actually moves slower for an object traveling at high speeds or near a massive gravitational body, such as a black hole.<br><br>This scientific revelation transforms time from a simple measurement into a dynamic physical property. It suggests that our perception of the present is a local experience rather than a universal truth. The profound implication is that the past, present, and future may all exist simultaneously in a block universe, challenging our fundamental understanding of causality and the linear progression of existence.