The Daily Star continues, saying Prof Mallet aims to build a time machine that can "twist the fabric of the space-time continuum" with a "ring of rotating lasers to make a loop in time". 

The professor claims the death of his father and the comfort of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine inspired a lifetime of research into the space-bending subject.

Speaking about a passage of the book, Mallett said: "The very first paragraph changed my life.

"I still remember the quote 'Scientific people know very well that time is just a kind of space and we can move forward and backward in time, just as we can in space'."

After spending time in the US Air Force, he went on to Pennsylvania State University to earn a PhD in physics.

He conducted research in secret for years and, while in hospital recovering from a heart condition, had a "eureka" moment.

"It turns out that rotating black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to loops of time being created that can allow you to go to the past."

He says there are two event horizons in each spinning black hole, where electromagnetic radiation cannot escape.

Between the two, he says, there is something called frame dragging.

He claims the space-time continuum is being dragged here.

Giving an example he added: "Let's say you have a cup of coffee in front of you right now.

"Start stirring the coffee with the spoon. It started swirling around, right? That's what a rotating black hole does. 

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