Question

physicists generally agree that in theory time travel to the future is possible, but travel to the past is another matter. some speculate that the distance we can travel backwards through time may be limited. the moment the first time machine is activated may be the furthest into the past we can go. this would explain why we havent yet met any time travelers from the future. the first time machine has not been activated yet. assume someone activates a time machine tomorrow at breakfast. according to this hypothesis, how far could that person travel into the past? 1 the person could not travel back at all until some time had passed. 2 the person could travel back to the day he or she was born. 3 the person could never travel to the past, only to the future.

Explanation:

The text states that the furthest into the past one can go is the moment the first - time machine is activated. If a time - machine is activated tomorrow at breakfast, according to this hypothesis, one can travel back to that moment of activation tomorrow at breakfast. So none of the given options are correct based on the described hypothesis. But if we have to choose from the given options, the closest idea is that the person can't travel back further than the activation time of the time - machine, which implies they can't travel back until the time - machine is activated (tomorrow at breakfast). Option 1 is the most in line with the idea that there is a starting point (activation of the time - machine) for past travel.

Answer:

1. The person could not travel back at all until some time had passed.