Posted on 09/17/2012 10:28:10 AM PDT by justlurking
A warp drive to achieve faster-than-light travel — a concept popularized in television's Star Trek — may not be as unrealistic as once thought, scientists say.
A warp drive would manipulate space-time itself to move a starship, taking advantage of a loophole in the laws of physics that prevent anything from moving faster than light. A concept for a real-life warp drive was suggested in 1994 by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre, however subsequent calculations found that such a device would require prohibitive amounts of energy.
Now physicists say that adjustments can be made to the proposed warp drive that would enable it to run on significantly less energy, potentially bringing the idea back from the realm of science fiction into science.
"There is hope," Harold "Sonny" White of NASA's Johnson Space Center said here Friday (Sept. 14) at the 100 Year Starship Symposium, a meeting to discuss the challenges of interstellar spaceflight.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
You probably wouldn't bend occupied space like my New York/Nashville example. You'd bend empty space. I believe the way this warp drive works is it repeatedly bends space in front of it. If it bent half a mile of empty space at a time allowing it to pass through in just a few feet. You'd still have an incredible speed.
Good.
I want one.
Gotta emigrate to another star system where the economic laws are sane..............
What kind of energy densities are we talking about that would give the desired warping effect? How would you channel the energy through a material in a way that it not only forms a bubble, it forms it where you want it and without converting itself to plasma under the discharge...
Once you have the theory, backed up with proof of concept experiments, the rest is just a numbers game.
“I’m guessing that that “exotic matter” would be along the lines of unicorns that have been ground up and put through an atomic accelerator or some such.”
Obama should have the unicorns ready for warp-drive use in less than a week. It would be sooner, but they’ll be busy for the next few days lowering the oceans, healing the planet, and restoring the faith of the Muslim world in America.
There could be an issue with PETA though. They don’t have to grind the unicorns up to heal the planet—that gets done with NO ANIMAL CRUELTY.
But what if you do that while I'm bending it to get from Cincinnati to Myrtle Beach?
Who wins?
7 elements have been added to the periodic chart since I went to school. None have involved "ground up unicorns". That being said, I think we will probably hit a SHTF scenario long before warp drives come into existence.
Well if you do that there is a good chance that Myrtle beach will end up next to Nashville. And New York next to Cincinnati.
And then won't you feel stupid for not waiting.
Well if you do that there is a good chance that Myrtle beach will end up next to Nashville. And New York next to Cincinnati.
And then won't you feel stupid for not waiting.
And I really only posted once, but it took two quantum paths that arrived 18 seconds apart.
“Warp Drive May Be More Feasible Than Thought, Scientists Say”
Makes sense. I’ve lived long enough to know that conscious thought isn’t particular feasible when it comes to many people.
cheers,
Jim
Oops! “Particularly”.
So much for conscious thought, LOL!
cheers,
Jim
As an alternative, it can be built from an upsidaisium composite.
Good point
Starting your warp drive inside the solar system where there are lots of uncharted asteroids could be hazardous to your health.
But on the other hand if you wait on getting out of the solar system to start your warp drive you could be waiting 15 years to start your interstellar journey if you travel at normal impulse power.
And if you wait till you exit the Ort cloud region you will be waiting considerably longer.
I guess we need to invent the deflector shield before we start using warp drive.
We already know the exotic material it takes...Dilithium Crystals!
Count me in if there is a Vulcan on the ship named T’Pol.
[puts on my moonbat hat]
No, you just have to hire Romney's accountant!
The evil rich don't have to obey the laws of physics. They take up all the space, but don't have to spend the time!
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