Devices and systems designed to operate across the four dimensions of spacetime, treating time as a manipulable dimension rather than a one-way flow. 4D technologies include temporal browsers (letting you view past and future versions of websites), 4D printers (that print objects which change shape over time—imagine a chair that becomes a table at noon), and the much-anticipated "time-back" button that lets you undo the last five minutes of your life (currently only works for video games, and only sometimes). The holy grail of 4D technology is the "worldline navigator," which would let you see your complete four-dimensional self from birth to death, assuming you want to know how it ends. Most people don't buy it.
4D Technologies Example: "He bought a 4D technology headset that let him see his own worldline—his entire life laid out in spacetime. He saw his future self, happy and fulfilled, and felt reassured. Then he realized that future self was 20 years older and bald. The technology had given him both comfort and anxiety, which is what 4D tech always does."
by AbzuInExile February 16, 2026
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