One of the most surprising discoveries in physics is that time is not the same for everyone. According to Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, the faster an object moves, the more slowly time passes for it. This effect, called time dilation, has been confirmed through experiments with fast-moving particles, satellites, and precise atomic clocks.

Time dilation happens because the speed of light is constant for all observers. When an object moves close to the speed of light, the distance it covers in space affects how time flows. For example, astronauts traveling at near-light speed would age slower than people on Earth. Similarly, particles in accelerators live longer than they would at rest because their internal “clocks” slow down.

This phenomenon isn’t just theoretical. GPS satellites, which move quickly around the Earth, experience tiny differences in time compared to clocks on the ground. Engineers must adjust for these differences to ensure accurate navigation. Without accounting for time dilation, modern technologies relying on precise timing would fail.

In short, time slows down at high speeds because motion affects the passage of time. While this may seem strange in daily life, it is a well-tested feature of our universe. Time is not fixed—it depends on speed, gravity, and the structure of space itself.