Curious Cases Clowns in Spacetime
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Jun 20, 2025 
Katie Clough, a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University, and Sean Carroll, a Natural Philosophy professor at Johns Hopkins, dive into the mind-bending world of relativity. They discuss how high-speed travel can alter aging and the quirks of time dilation. You'll learn why GPS satellites have to factor in time differences and hear hilarious theories about clowns on trains that simplify complex scientific ideas. Their engaging banter blends humor with cutting-edge physics, making the universe feel a bit more accessible and fun.
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Saskia's Cosmic Age Question
- Saskia wondered if traveling at high speed in space could let her friend, who is a year older, catch up to her age.
- This question surprisingly relates directly to Einstein's theory of relativity.
Movement Affects Time Flow
- Space and time are linked, so moving through space affects how you move through time.
- Traveling very fast can change the perception and flow of time for an observer.
Flying Clocks Confirm Time Dilation
- The Heffler-Keating experiment flew accurate atomic clocks on planes around the world.
- These clocks ticked differently than stationary ones, confirming time dilation experimentally.