Time dilation is caused by the finite travel time of light
the verdict
REFUTED
the evidence says no
confidence 13/100
Time dilation is a fundamental consequence of spacetime geometry and relative velocity or gravitational potential in relativity, rather than a mere optical illusion caused by the finite travel time of light.
Evidence against · 3
The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment.
2014 · cited by 119
Tests of general relativity and special relativity, such as the Shapiro time delay and EEP validations, demonstrate that time dilation arises from spacetime geometry and relative velocity or gravitational potential, rather than simply the travel time of light.
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More against · 2
The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment.
2006 · cited by 75
Gravitational redshift and relativistic clock experiments confirm that time dilation is a fundamental property of spacetime rather than an artifact of optical signal propagation delays.
The Forever War: understanding, science fiction, and thought experiments.
2021 · cited by 1
Special relativity explains time dilation as a consequence of the constancy of the speed of light across inertial frames and the geometry of spacetime, rather than light having a finite travel time.