How Atium Really Works

[FeatherWriter]

So this is a fairly nerdy theory. Like really nerdy. And it's not even that much of a theory, because it's not really proving anything radical about the cosmere. But hey, I've seen super nerdy stuff on here, *cough*redshift*cough* so here goes nothing.

Basically, the way Atium works can prove that the cosmere operates on General Relativity. (Wow, I make it sound like an operating system on a computer...)

Yesterday, while I was supposed to be studying for a test, I wiki-walked my way to the modern theory of gravity and the theories of general and special relativity. Now, this subject has been something that bothered me for a while, because it's hard to grasp; but all of a sudden, this time it clicked. I suppose it was because we'd just learned about parametric graphs in Pre-Calculus.

[explanation of parametrics vs. the universe]

So in parametric graphing, three variables are graphed on a two dimensional plane. The y and x values are assigned by plugging in a variable of t. So if the equations are x=2t+1 and y=3t-2, you could solve for the points by moving in incrememts of t. At t=1, your coordinate would be (3,1); t=2 is (5, 4); t=3 is (7, 7); and so on. When graphed this usually makes some kind of curved or straight line. Now, because two dimensional planes only have x and y axes, the way that you figure out where the low t's and the high t's are is that parametric lines have direction. The line moves from low t's to higher t's, usually represented by little arrows on the graph.

Our universe works the same way, but with an extra dimension. At any given moment, you are a point in a three-dimensional graph, which would be your location in the universe. However, there's a fourth dimension involved: time. If you look back at your life graphically, you are not a point in space, but a line moving through space. You change positions (coordinates) as time (t) increases. So if right this second is t=0, then t=-5 is where you were five minutes ago. Perhaps you got up to get a drink of water, and so t=-5 would be a different coordinate than right now: t=0. For each point in time, you have a specific location. You're never in two places at the same time, and you're never nowhere. It's continuous.

Now this line of your "coordinates" in space has direction just like the parametric line. You travel from earlier events to later events. You can't go backward on t's, they just keep moving forward. This imaginary line of locations for each point in time is called the "worldline" and everyone and everything has one. Your personal worldline starts with you as a tiny baby at one end, traces every movement you have in your life, before ending with you in some old-folks home somewhere down the line.

[End of basic explanation. Physics nerds who already know this can tune back in]

Now normally, we can only seen where we've been and where we are, so (still working under the assumption that t=0 is the present) we can "solve" for any values greater or less than 0 for t. That will give us where we were at a certain point in time.

But atium lets you see the future. It lets you see worldlines that haven't happened yet. And not just a point on one or two worldlines, but the worldline for every object in sight. So your eyes are "solving" for t=0, but the atium is letting you "solve" for t=2 and is superimposing this new set of coordinates on you set of t=0 coordinates (real life). Electrum works the same way, but instead of the worldlines of everything around you, you can see what your own worldline looks like at t=2.

No wonder your brain has to be enhanced to deal with it all!

Okay, so I don't know that this has any practical value whatsoever but hey, I thought it was interesting. Not bad for an English Major huh?