When you're falling in Earth's atmosphere or any object moving very fast, such as an airplane, you may experience a sense of time appearing to slow down. This phenomenon is not related to gravitational time dilation but rather to the way our brains perceive time during intense or novel experiences. It can be explained by a combination of psychological and physiological factors, including:
Perception of time: Our perception of time is not constant but can be influenced by various factors, such as our attention, focus, and the amount of information our brains process. During intense or high-speed experiences, our brains tend to process a greater amount of sensory information per unit of time, making it seem like time is passing more slowly.
Heightened senses: When we are engaged in fast-paced activities or experiencing intense situations, our senses become more alert and sensitive. This heightened state of awareness can create a sense of time dilation, where we perceive events in greater detail and seemingly in slow motion.
Memory formation: Novel experiences tend to be more memorable, and our brains tend to form more detailed memories of such events. When we look back at these memories, the increased amount of information stored can give the impression that time was slower during the experience.
It's important to note that this subjective perception of time slowing down is not an actual physical effect on time itself but rather a psychological phenomenon. The fundamental nature of time remains unchanged, and time dilation effects due to high speeds or gravitational fields would require extreme conditions that are not typically encountered in everyday life.