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According to our current understanding of physics, traveling faster than light is not possible for objects with mass. The theory of relativity states that as an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its energy requirements and the effects of time dilation become infinite, making it impossible to reach or exceed the speed of light.

That being said, let's assume for the sake of discussion that faster-than-light travel were somehow possible. In such a hypothetical scenario, time dilation would indeed come into play. Time dilation refers to the phenomenon where time appears to pass differently for objects moving relative to each other at different speeds.

As an object accelerates and approaches the speed of light, time dilation occurs. Relative to a stationary observer, time would appear to pass more slowly for the object in motion. This means that if a hypothetical spacecraft were traveling faster than light, time would pass more slowly for the occupants of the spacecraft compared to observers on Earth.

Consequently, if the spacecraft were to return to Earth after a period of travel, the occupants would have experienced less time passing compared to the people on Earth. This could create the illusion that the travelers have aged less, or that time has effectively slowed down for them.

However, it's important to reiterate that traveling faster than light is currently considered impossible according to our understanding of physics. The theory of relativity places significant limitations on the speed of objects with mass, and no evidence or mechanism has been discovered to suggest that faster-than-light travel is feasible.

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