8. Gravity’s Role: General Relativity
Gravity isn’t just about keeping our feet on the ground—it also shapes how we experience time. According to general relativity, the stronger the gravitational pull, the slower time passes. That means astronauts in orbit, farther from Earth’s mass, actually age slightly faster than those on the surface. This fascinating effect is another way space travel subtly transforms astronauts into time travelers. Learn more at Stanford.