Time travel is a popular theme in science fiction. But could it happen in reality? Scientists believe it is entirely plausible. Especially when the scientist in question is someone of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s stature—an award-winning astrophysicist, science communicator, and author whose authority in both science and popular culture is unquestionable. When he makes a bold statement, the world stops to listen.
That is precisely what happened during an episode of Hot Ones Game Night, when host Joe Santagato asked Tyson whether time travel is possible. The scientist’s answer offered an entirely different perspective on the phenomenon.
Speed That Erases Boundaries
During the board-game-style competition, Santagato asked his guest directly: “Will humanity ever be able to travel through time?” The initial response was unequivocal: “No. Next question.” But as soon as the host questioned the certainty of that position, the conversation took an unexpected turn.
The astrophysicist clarified an important detail: “We can travel into the future, but not into the past.” Explaining the mechanics in simple terms, he proposed a thought experiment:
“If you could travel through spacetime for a while, say for 10 minutes, and then return to Earth, depending on how fast you were moving, you might have aged an hour, a day, or a year. You have entered the future. Not your own personal future. You have entered everyone else’s future.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson explains how humans can ACTUALLY TIME TRAVEL into the FUTURE, but traveling BACK TO THE PAST is IMPOSSIBLE 🤯⏳ https://t.co/GGPQSGvSXf
— Killa 🌺 (@KillaKreww) October 15, 2026
Prisoners of the Present Moment
This is indeed a form of time travel, but it offers no opportunity to glimpse your own tomorrow or correct mistakes from the past. In this scenario, a person becomes a kind of prisoner of the present on their own timeline, forever balancing between an unreachable past and an unknowable future.
Although the scientist confirmed that the laws of physics allow such “jumps,” he also cautioned against unrealistic expectations. He did not endorse any Marvel Cinematic Universe-style scenarios involving control over timelines, leaving filmmakers to their inventions.
We previously reported on how a scientific breakthrough addresses the longstanding “grandfather paradox”.
Based on material from Men’s Journal.
