BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A U.S. professor of electrical and computer engineering says he has solved a physics paradox first suggested by Albert Einstein more than 100 years ago.
The paradox has been described using the analogy of twins: If one twin is placed on a spacecraft traveling near the speed of light while the other twin remains earthbound, the unmoved twin would have aged dramatically compared with his interstellar sibling.
That time slows on moving objects has been documented through repeated experimentation. But the paradox is the earthbound twin is the one who would be considered to be in motion -- in relation to the sibling -- and therefore should be the one aging more slowly.
Einstein and other scientists have unsuccessfully attempted to resolve the problem.
Louisiana State University Professor Subhash Kak says he solved the paradox by defining motion not in relation to individual objects, such as the two twins with respect to each other, but in relation to distant stars.
Kak says the implications of his resolution will be widespread, generally enhancing the scientific community's comprehension of relativity and possibly impacting quantum communications.
The research is to appear in the International Journal of Theoretical Science.
