Time Zones and Ages

[Temotei]

Still wondering whether changing time zones would change your age. I would guess it would, technically. Or maybe you're still eighteen, but only in your home area. When the time zone changes, you've effectively shortened your life.

If you've just gotten a year older in one country, if you go back a few time zones, are you back to your previous age? What does the playground think? :smallamused:

[Elm11]

scientifically speaking, no. This is because our time zone system is simply configured to relate presicely to the rising and setting of the sun in each individual Section of thew planet, to avoid confusion. This means the system is just a mechanic, and the passage of time is not altered in any way (go captain obvious). For the purposes of explanation, i'll use GMT for this.

Jim is born at 2:30 pm GMT. He then takes a flight (instantly, somehow) back two time zones, over the course of half an hour. In the timezone mechanic, jim should not exist. However it is clear to all that he does exist and has been alive for an hour. I'd apply this same principle to jim's 20th birthday (he travels alot this time of year :smalltongue:). Again, he travels in the same manor two timezones to the west. despite the fact that the mechanic states he is still 19, it does not change the fact that jim has been 20 for an hour, regardless of the timezone his birthday occured in.

An a wonderful addition, if travelling backwards DID make you younger, then Jim's mother (who was in labour, and going to give birth in an hour) could have travelled two timezones to the east, again over the course of half an hour, and give birtyh to Jim 30 minutes before she'd uhhhh... Give.. birth.. to jim?

[Temotei]

scientifically speaking, no. This is because our time zone system is simply configured to relate presicely to the rising and setting of the sun in each individual time zone, to avoid confusion. This means the system is just a mechanic, and the passage of time is not altered in any way (go captain obvious). For the purposes of explanation, i'll use GMT for this.

Jim is born at 2:30 pm GMT. He then takes a flight (instantly, somehow) back two time zones, over the course of half an hour. In the timezone mechanic, jim should not exist. However it is clear to all that he does exist and has been alive for an hour. I'd apply this same principle to jim's 20th birthday (he travels alot this time of year :smalltongue:). Again, he travels in the same manor two timezones to the west. despite the fact that the mechanic states he is still 19, it does not change the fact that jim has been 20 for an hour, regardless of the timezone it occured in.

Makes sense. Being tired, I wasn't able to come up with that. :smallbiggrin: :smalltongue:

Thanks. :smallamused:

[Amiel]

I live in Australia. Australia is generally ahead of many time zones; even as much as up to a day and a half.

Technically, we live in the future.

[RationalGoblin]

I live in Australia. Australia is generally ahead of many time zones; even as much as up to a day and a half.

Technically, we live in the future.

You may be in the future, but do you have jetpacks? :smallamused:

[Mando Knight]

You may be in the future, but do you have jetpacks? :smallamused:

Give me about $2000 and I could maybe grab a few tenured professors to build you one in about a semester's time... IN AMERICA!

[Nameless]

Technically, we live in the future.

What's it like?

[Renegade Paladin]

What's it like?
I hear their Internet sucks there in Australia the future. :smalltongue:

[Sneak]

Then there's no Hulu in the future, I guess. What a shame.

[thubby]

i seem to recall there being a book that works on a similar premise.

[Dr.Epic]

No, you have to play an ocarina before you can get any older/younger.

[Temotei]

No, you have to play an ocarina before you can get any older/younger.

I thought I had to pull a sword out of a "pedestal" (stone).

[Dr.Epic]

I thought I had to pull a sword out of a "pedestal" (stone).

That's only if you want to change your age by seven years. I'm talking three days.

[skywalker]

Again, he travels in the same manor two timezones to the west.

Dude, that's a cool house.

*ba-dump-tish*

Anyway, there are a couple ways I can think of that this doesn't work. For instance, a lot of people (in the States) celebrate their 21st birthday in Vegas. Well, even if you're from some timezone east of there, you must still wait until you are 21 by Vegas-time before you can partake in all the wonders entailed in being over 21 in Vegas.

Generally speaking, I would say this means you do get younger, if you happen to go back fast enough. Because according to the accountants and the lawyers, you got younger. And aren't they the ones who really matter?

[SDF]

Legally, (IN AMERICA!!!) your age changes when the day changes, not at the moment you were born. I was born at 8:20 AM January 29, 1987 in Berkeley, California. At 12:00 AM January 29, 2008 in Boise, Idaho I was legally allowed to buy alcohol. Had I been on the west coast, where I was born it would be 11:00 PM January 28 and it would be illegal for me to purchase alcohol.

In most other cases time is relative and stuff. You need at least 1.21 jiggawatts of energy to do anything substantial.

[Temotei]

Legally, (IN AMERICA!!!) your age changes when the day changes, not at the moment you were born. I was born at 8:20 AM January 29, 1987 in Berkeley, California. At 12:00 AM January 29, 2008 in Boise, Idaho I was legally allowed to buy alcohol. Had I been on the west coast, where I was born it would be 11:00 PM January 28 and it would be illegal for me to purchase alcohol.

In most other cases time is relative and stuff. You need at least 1.21 jiggawatts of energy to do anything substantial.

Movie reference is boss. :smallcool:

This is probably the most relevant answer for me in particular, considering I live in Minnesota.

[Zeb The Troll]

You need at least 1.21 jiggawatts of energy to do anything substantial.This remains one of my favorite movies series of all time. :smallcool: