Ask AI: Tom leaves on 1st Jan 2024, travels at 60% the speed of light, and returns to earth on 31st Dec 2024. How many earth years will he have aged?

This scenario involves the concept of time dilation. In Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity, time slows down or dilates comparatively as you move faster. This is often called "time dilation." The time dilation formula is: t' = t / √(1 - v²/c²) where: t' = time experienced by the moving object (Tom) t = time experienced by the stationary observer (Earth) v = velocity of the moving object c = speed of light Here, Tom traveled at 60% the speed of light, so v/c = 0.60. Square that, and you get 0.36. Subtract that from 1, and you get 0.64. So t' = 1 year / √0.64 = 1.25 years. Therefore, Tom would have aged 1.25 years during his journey, while 1 Earth year passed.