Time is a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in seemingly irreversible transition of the current state to the next as governed by the laws of the local universe.
Physicists often describe the universe as having three spatial axes: x, y, and z (though the names often differ according to local customs). Time is often regarded as the fourth dimension; however, for the most part, time progresses on its own in one direction.
An important consequence of the perception of time as another dimension is that traveling backwards in time is possible. Just as one can change direction in space (say, go left instead of right) one is able to traverse time in a similar manner.
At this time, the Federation has very limited experience in the controlled traversal of time. Most of the time travel was either accidental or caused by the intervention of a technologically superior race. Current Federation doctrine, namely the Temporal Prime Directive, prohibits using time travel to alter the past.
- While Star Trek has portrayed that time could be made to flow backwards due to certain phenomenon such as distortion fields (as in TNG: "Timescape"), current knowledge of physics does not allow for that interpretation of time.
See also
Science and mechanics
- alternate timeline
- anti-chroniton
- anti-time
- chroniton
- stardate
- startime
- stasis
- temporal anomaly
- four dimensional time gate
- temporal causality loop
- temporal conduit
- temporal displacement
- temporal distortion
- temporal explosion
- temporal fragment
- temporal flux
- temporal incursion
- temporal inversion
- temporal radiation
- temporal rift
- temporal shift
- temporal surge
- temporal vortex
- temporal wake
- toroidal space-time distortion
- temporal integration
- temporal mechanics
- temporal narcosis
- temporal psychosis
- temporal violation
- timeline
Legality
- Department of Temporal Investigations
- Temporal Accord
- temporal agent
- Temporal Cold War
- Temporal displacement policy
- Temporal Integrity Commission
- Temporal Prime Directive
Technologies
- bio-temporal chamber
- chronometer
- clock
- stasis pod
- temporal beacon
- temporal communications chamber
- temporal communicator
- temporal compensator
- temporal core
- temporal displacement drive
- temporal observatory
- temporal shield
- temporal tag
- temporal transmitter
- temporal transporter
- temporal weapon
- time beacon
- timeship