Brazil Physicist Proposes Geometric Clock as 1967 Time Problem Persists
Updated
Updated · Popular Mechanics · Jun 12
Brazil Physicist Proposes Geometric Clock as 1967 Time Problem Persists
1 articles · Updated · Popular Mechanics · Jun 12
Summary
Anderson Gama Fernandes de Freitas argues in Classical and Quantum Gravity that time is not fundamental or always available, but emerges from the curvature of 3D space.
His “geometric clock” stays rigid in strongly curved regimes—such as the early universe—so physics evolves normally, then weakens as space expands and flattens, eroding time’s role as an ordering parameter.
The proposal targets the “problem of time” exposed by the 1967 Wheeler-DeWitt equation, which tried to merge quantum theory with relativity but contained no explicit time variable.
Fernandes de Freitas says the framework makes testable predictions, though it has so far been checked only in simplified cosmological models rather than a full quantum-gravity setting.
As rival quantum gravity theories emerge, which will finally solve the Big Bang's mysteries?
If the universe's expansion weakens time, is our cosmos slowly running out of it?
The Geometric Clock Proposal: Fernandes de Freitas’ 2026 Solution to the Problem of Time in Quantum Gravity
Overview
In June 2026, Anderson Gama Fernandes de Freitas introduced the 'geometric clock' proposal, offering a new way to understand time in physics. Instead of treating time as a fundamental part of the universe, his idea suggests that time emerges from the changing curvature of three-dimensional space. The geometric clock measures these changes, making the flow of time depend on the universe’s geometry. This means time behaves differently in regions with strong or weak curvature, providing a fresh approach to the long-standing challenge of uniting quantum theory and general relativity.