Time Travel, Wormholes, and Exotic Matter: A Non-Technical Review

This review paper explores the theoretical foundations of time travel, focusing on wormholes and exotic matter. Beginning with Ludwig Flamm's early work and Einstein-Rosen bridges, it synthesizes key concepts like time dilation, the Casimir effect, and the Grandfather Paradox. The paper argues that exotic matter—with negative energy density—is essential for stabilizing traversable wormholes, while acknowledging the speculative nature of such theories. Designed for non-specialists, it bridges complex physics and public curiosity