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I have experimental evidence that time travel is not possible.
Stephen Hawking
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Stephen Hawking asserts that time travel cannot occur based on scientific experiments.

In this quote, Stephen Hawking emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence in scientific inquiry, specifically stating that his research indicates the impossibility of time travel. This stark assertion challenges popular notions often depicted in science fiction, reinforcing that despite the allure of time travel, our current understanding of physics does not support its feasibility.

Themes

Time TravelScienceEmpirical EvidencePhysicsStephen Hawking

In practice

Example use cases

In a lecture on theoretical physics, you might reference Hawking's quote to emphasize the importance of evidence in scientific claims.

More from Stephen Hawking

We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet.
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I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.
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It surprises me how disinterested we are today about things like physics, space, the universe and philosophy of our existence, our purpose, our final destination. Its a crazy world out there. Be curious.
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I was not a good student. I did not spend much time at college; I was too busy enjoying myself.
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The world has changed far more in the past 100 years than in any other century in history. The reason is not political or economic but technological-technologies that flowed directly from advances in basic science. Clearly, no scientist better represents those advances than Albert Einstein: TIME's Person of the Century.
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In my opinion, there is no aspect of reality beyond the reach of the human mind.
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