Final answer:
This conundrum can be explained by the theory of relativity and time dilation, where time passes at different rates for people in different gravitational fields or traveling at different relativistic speeds. Thus, an astronaut might experience less time passing compared to someone on Earth, allowing for the younger-looking astronaut to call an older earthbound person 'my son.'
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario where an older person refers to a younger one as 'my son,' but is actually younger in appearance, is a thought-provoking illustration of time dilation, a concept in Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. This can occur when one individual travels at high speeds, close to the speed of light, or experiences strong gravitational fields near astronomical objects like black holes. Due to the effects of relativity, time would pass more slowly for the astronaut relative to someone on Earth. So, when the astronaut returns from the high-speed journey or ends the mission near a black hole, he or she may find that much more time has passed on Earth than in their own frame of reference, hence the astronaut being younger compared to their earthbound counterpart.
This apparent paradox time is based on the twin paradox concept - a hypothetical scenario in which one twin travels through space at relativistic speeds, while the other remains on Earth. Upon the return of the spacefaring twin, there would be a clear difference in age between the two, with the Earth-bound twin being much older. Therefore, in the future, as human ingenuity pushes the boundaries of space travel, it is indeed possible that an astronaut might rush up to an older person on Earth and affectionately call them 'my son,' despite the age difference.