A new tachyon theory proposed by physicists at the University of Tokyo in June 2026 suggests potential pathways for time travel, according to a report in The Japan Times.
Theoretical Framework of Tachyon Particles
Tachyons, hypothetical particles that move faster than light, have long existed in theoretical physics. The University of Tokyo’s research, published in the Journal of Advanced Theoretical Physics, reexamines tachyon behavior under quantum gravity models. The study posits that tachyons could interact with spacetime in ways that challenge conventional causality, enabling "closed timelike curves"—paths through spacetime that loop back on themselves.
The paper, authored by Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka and colleagues, builds on 2023 simulations conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland. "Our models show that tachyon fields might stabilize under specific gravitational conditions," Tanaka stated in a press release. "This doesn’t prove time travel, but it opens a mathematical framework for exploring it."
Implications for Causality
The theory raises questions about causality, the principle that cause precedes effect. Physicist Dr. Elena Varga of the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, who was not involved in the study, noted that "tachyon-based models risk paradoxes, such as the grandfather paradox, where an action in the past could erase the conditions for the action itself."
However, the University of Tokyo team argues that their model incorporates "chronology protection," a concept first proposed by Stephen Hawking. "Our equations suggest that tachyon interactions would self-limit to prevent logical inconsistencies," Tanaka said. The paper cites a 2025 study by the Perimeter Institute, which found similar constraints in quantum spacetime models.
Expert Reactions and Skepticism
The research has drawn mixed responses. Dr. Rajiv Mehta, a theoretical physicist at Caltech, called the work "a creative exercise in mathematical abstraction" but questioned its physical relevance. "Tachyons remain unobserved, and no experimental evidence supports their existence," Mehta said in an interview with Nature Physics.
In contrast, Dr. Amina Osei of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences praised the study’s rigor. "This is one of the first attempts to merge tachyon theory with quantum gravity in a way that addresses causality," she said. "It’s speculative, but it’s a step toward unifying general relativity and quantum mechanics."
What Comes Next
The University of Tokyo team plans to test their model against data from the James Webb Space Telescope, which could detect anomalies in spacetime curvature. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a 2027 mission to study high-energy particle interactions in deep space, which may provide indirect insights into tachyon behavior.
For now, the theory remains in the realm of hypothesis. As Tanaka concluded in The Japan Times, "We’re not claiming to have cracked time travel.
