According to Albert Einstein's theories of relativity, there is no universal "now." Instead, time dilation occurs through two distinct physical mechanisms:Velocity-Based Time Dilation (Special Relativity): Because the speed of light is invariant in all inertial reference frames, space and time must dynamically adjust to keep it constant. As an observer's velocity through space increases relative to a stationary frame, their progression through time must decrease. At relativistic speeds, the time interval measured by a moving clock stretches relative to the proper time of a stationary observer, calculated via the Lorentz factor(i would put it here but scratch would let me).Gravitational Time Dilation (General Relativity): Mass and energy warp the geometry of spacetime. Clocks situated deeper within a gravitational potential well (closer to a massive body) experience stronger spacetime curvature, causing them to tick more slowly relative to clocks in a weaker gravitational field.Gravitational Time Dilation (General Relativity): Mass and energy warp the geometry of spacetime. Clocks situated deeper within a gravitational potential well (closer to a massive body) experience stronger spacetime curvature, causing them to tick more slowly relative to clocks in a weaker gravitational field.
Time is relative because its passage slows down for objects moving at high speeds or experiencing stronger gravity, which means if Gobo blasts off into space at nearly the speed of light while Scratch Cat stays home on Earth, Gobo’s clock will tick much slower and they will return younger than Scratch cat(dumb down version). credit to @albert_einstein
