In modern physics, spacetime is any mathematical model which fuses the three dimensions of space and the one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional continuum. Spacetime diagrams can be used to visualize relativistic effects, such as why different observers perceive differently where and when events occur.
Until the 20th century, it was assumed that the three-dimensional geometry of the universe (its spatial expression in terms of coordinates, distances, and directions) was independent of one-dimensional time. The physicist Albert Einstein helped develop the idea of spacetime as part of his theory of relativity.
Prior to his pioneering work, scientists had two separate theories for physical phenomena: Isaac Newton laws of physics, which described the motion of massive objects, and James Clerk Maxwell electromagnetic models, which explained the properties of light.
However, in 1905, Einstein based a work on special relativity on two postulates: (1) The laws of physics are invariant in all inertial systems; (2) The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of the motion of the light source.
The logical consequence of taking these postulates together is the inseparable joining of the four dimensions of space and time. Yet, as demonstrated in Chapter IV of the book ‘Unique Phenomena’, spacetime is an abstract mathematical artifact rather than a physical reality. Discover the profound implications in our upcoming publications.