489 replies to this topic

[hyperfrak]

My interest is in FTL, (faster-than-light) space travel. Any ideas on the "fabric" of space-time and how FTL might be possible. This is pure speculation. Proof is not a requirement.

[Ithica]

My interest is in FTL, (faster-than-light) space travel. Any ideas on the "fabric" of space-time and how FTL might be possible. This is pure speculation. Proof is not a requirement.

This show uses the theory of space folding where the fabric at point A is bent to touch the fabric at point B and the ship just "jumps" from A to B. There is a web site that wenty into a lengthy explainantion of this but I never book marked it.

This theory is different from the Trek warp. In Trek the ships created a warp bubble of subspace around the ship. The bubbles then expanded and contracted moving the ship through subspace. Inside the bubble the ship never leaves normal space and never exceeds the speed of light.

Both theories require huge amounts of energy greater than anything we have available or may ever have available.

Sorry, got the geek going in me.

[WakkaWakka]

I forget which novel I read that explained it this way.

There are alternate universes. Going from home to market may be one mile. Crossing into the right parallel universe, walking 10 feet, then crossing back may place you right next to the market. Trick is finding the right parallel universe for the trip. Oh, and they may be hostiles there.

[SVRaven]

Yeah...technically speaking the BSG FTL is not really faster than light since nothing seems to be approaching c it's more like folding a piece of paper and stabbing a pencil through it. This would probably be the most likely way to achieve travel since you are cutting distance to two overlapping points. Better than a wormhole since those are "shorter" but not instanteous.

[Hypothetical]

Well, less than 100 years ago people thought breaking the sound barrier would be impossible. Now we do it daily, and by multiple factors.

We probably won't break the light barrier within the next ten years, but in the next 50....who knows.

I've always liked the Alderson Tram lines from "A Mote in God's Eye." Possibly a little far fetched, but believably written.

[Hypothetical]

I forget which novel I read that explained it this way.

There are alternate universes. Going from home to market may be one mile. Crossing into the right parallel universe, walking 10 feet, then crossing back may place you right next to the market. Trick is finding the right parallel universe for the trip. Oh, and they may be hostiles there.

I do believe you are thinking of "The Talismen" my Stephen King, and the theory of the Territories.

[1curmudgeon]

My interest is in FTL, (faster-than-light) space travel. Any ideas on the "fabric" of space-time and how FTL might be possible. This is pure speculation. Proof is not a requirement.

I have read theories that conclude that by reducing the mass a vehicle presents to the universe to *nearly-nothing* by means of gravity inversion, it becomes possible to do all sorts of strange things. It works like this:
Even light has mass, as does all forms of electromagnetic energy. If you reduce your apparent mass to light's, then you can travel as fast as light.
But if you reduce it to less than light, you can travel faster than light. The problem is that sometimes light acts like a particle, sometimes like a wave. Scientists have recently concluded that since gravity behaves like radio waves, i.e., it obeys the inverse square law, gravity is a wave.
The science of gravity is at approximately the same state as radio was 100 years ago. As Hypothetical says, in the 20th century many things thought impossible became commonplace. Even now, scientists seek to exploit the energies of artificial quantum singularities at Sandia Labs, much as Doc Ock tried in Spider Man 2. Scientists are also attempting to construct a quantum supercomputer in the hope of being able to link with other computers in parallel dimensions, as Wakka Wakka mentions.
A lot of what we read about today goes back to an article I read in Omni magazine over 25 years ago written by a guy who claimed he worked at Area 51 reverse-engineering a captured alien spacecraft. It used stable trans-uranic elements as its power source, and achieved FTL by "pulling" itself to its destination via gravity warping. Physicists are learning how to create those very elements even today.
My grandmother was born in the same year the Wright Brothers made history. She passed in 1975, but what wonders she saw.
It is a fact that many of the technological wonders we enjoy today were either the stuff of science fiction, or were once considered impossible.
As soon as astronomers find a planet similar to Earth, and they should within about 20 years or so, the first serious FTL experiments will commence.
I envy those of you who are younger than 30.

[MalcolmXII]

Well you can't.

Which is why you must turn the light off, first.

[galacticaimaginary]

If you're really interested there is an interesting articles of all the possible ways a FTL drive could work...

http://www.answers.c...ster-than-light

From what I understand, it is theoretically possible to travel faster than light. But a lot of things are theoretically possible. I don't think we're going to see this in our life time.

[GoonSquad]

Okay, here's what you do... First eat a large box of ex-lax, followed by all the jalapenos you can get your hands on. Next... do you have a trampoline?

[FishSpeaker]

I forget which novel I read that explained it this way.

There are alternate universes. Going from home to market may be one mile. Crossing into the right parallel universe, walking 10 feet, then crossing back may place you right next to the market. Trick is finding the right parallel universe for the trip. Oh, and they may be hostiles there.

This sounds like "Nine Princes in Amber" by Roger Zelazny and the many sequels...

[MalcolmXII]

This sounds like "Nine Princes in Amber" by Roger Zelazny and the many sequels...

I don't like that parallel universe. It looks exactly the same, but my PIN number doesn't work.

[malclave]

Okay, here's what you do... First eat a large box of ex-lax, followed by all the jalapenos you can get your hands on. Next... do you have a trampoline?

No, but if I have a cup of really HOT tea, will that help?

I vaguely remember reading (early 1980's) an essay in a pop science magazine which explained how it could be done, theoretically. IIRC, it involved somehow converting mass from Real to Imaginary (i, in mathematical terms), essentially moving from sub-light speed to faster-than-light without ever actually beaing at the speed of light, a theoretical impossibility. I guess that's one explanation of "hyperspace".

[frackitall]

From what I understand, it is theoretically possible to travel faster than light. But a lot of things are theoretically possible. I don't think we're going to see this in our life time.

Einstein proved time travel is possible with a ship that can travel at the speed of light. IE: Do a google search about the twin paradox.

[GoonSquad]

travelling... without moving...

Yeah... helps if you look like this too.

[MalcolmXII]

Yeah... helps if you look like this too.

Thanks for the reminder--time to get to the gym.

[Zenarie]

How about an Infinite Improbability Drive? For anyone who doesn't know, the Infinite Improbability Drive is a wonderful new method of crossing interstellar distances in a few seconds; without all that tedious mucking about in hyperspace. As the Improbability Drive reaches infinite improbability, it passes through every conceivable point in every conceivable universe almost simultaneously. In other words, you're never sure where you'll end up or even what species you'll be when you get there. It's therefore important to dress accordingly. The Infinite Improbability Drive was invented following research into finite improbability which was often used to break the ice at parties by making all the molecules in the hostess' undergarments leap one foot simultaneously to the left in accordance with the theory of indeterminacy. Many respectful physicists said they wouldn't go to stand for that sort of thing, partly because it was a debasement of science, but mostly because they didn't get invited to those sort of parties.

Yes, I know I'm silly.

[RandomBullethead]

How about an Infinite Improbability Drive? For anyone who doesn't know, the Infinite Improbability Drive is a wonderful new method of crossing interstellar distances in a few seconds; without all that tedious mucking about in hyperspace. As the Improbability Drive reaches infinite improbability, it passes through every conceivable point in every conceivable universe almost simultaneously. In other words, you're never sure where you'll end up or even what species you'll be when you get there. It's therefore important to dress accordingly. The Infinite Improbability Drive was invented following research into finite improbability which was often used to break the ice at parties by making all the molecules in the hostess' undergarments leap one foot simultaneously to the left in accordance with the theory of indeterminacy. Many respectful physicists said they wouldn't go to stand for that sort of thing, partly because it was a debasement of science, but mostly because they didn't get invited to those sort of parties.

Yes, I know I'm silly.

Under the laws of physics you cannot exceed the speed of light due to the amount of energy it takes to approach the light barrier. I beleive it was einstein who explained that the closer you apporach the speed of light, the amount of energy necessary increases exponentially---to break the speed of light would require an infinite amount of energy so you would cease to exist. Maybee, i described that wrong--but the bottom line is, you cannot achieve faster than light travel by simply putting a bigger engine on a ship--hence the reason why there are all sorts of alternate theories about how to travel great distances in space without actually achieving the speed of light. A "jump" or "fold" involves folding space around the ship---the paper example described above. In star trek, the ships create a "warp bubble" of subspace that actually expands and contracts and "pushes" the ship through real space. Then there are slipstream theories, or theories about creating your own mini wormhole----much like the "jump" theory. The nice thing about the "jump" or "fold" theory is that you avoid the physics problem and avoid having all your characters on the ship stay the same age while the people back home age 50 years

[escapecar]

Time is an illusion.

Lunchtime, doubly so.