What are the odds of time travel? This is what the Society for Investigating the Credibility of Extraordinary Claims (SICEC) will be exploring and debating in their meeting on 3 September.

H.G. Wells novella, The Time Machine, first published in 1895, first brought the topic of time travel to prominence. The protagonist of the book, known simply as the Time Traveller, built a machine which allowed him to go back and forth in time. Wells novella sparked a number of other books, revolving around the same idea.

The idea of moving between different concepts in time is one that has intrigued the human mind since time immemorial. It is one of the main areas explored in science fiction, and new findings in physics have raised hopes that this may actually become a possibility.

Although it must be said that few scientists were convinced by this, there were those who believed that the Large Hadron Collider, being built by scientists at the European Centre for Nuclear Research, CERN, had the potential to make time travel an option. This is a sure sign of people’s interest in this phenomenon.

What is to be made of such a claim? Does time exist or is it just a human invention? And if time-travel is really possible, is it easy to perform? Will there be any consequences?

There are arguments both in favour of and against the idea of time travel. Physics holds that anything that is not forbidden, is therefore compulsory. This means that it is simply a question of ironing out the kinks in the time machine? Perhaps not quite. The obstacles lying in its way are not a joke.

This is the question that the meeting, which will consist of a video by world-renowned theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku, dealing with the nature of time and space, and a short lecture by David Pace to be followed by a discussion, will try to find an answer to.

SICEC’s aims include investigating and scientifically analysing any claims which seem to be of an extraordinary nature, discouraging charlatans who consciously hoodwink the public.

They also encourage media integrity and objective investigations of unsupported claims and human rights, freedom of will, equality of opportunities and of choice and unencumbered freedom of beliefs and expression.

The public is invited to attend this meeting, which starts at 7pm at the Youth Travel Circle, 227, Merchants Street, Valletta. Doors will close after this time, for security reasons, so anyone arriving late should ring the bell.

Future SICEC meetings will explore the mystery of sleepwalking murders, on 17 September, and on 1 October the Ta Pinu Phenomenon, which deals with the voice, confirmed by the bishop of the time as the Blessed Virgin, that Karmela Grima heard back in 1833.

For more information on SICEC and its activities contact: SICEC c/o 67, Triq il-Pruna, Attard, ATD 2762