From Star Trek to Reality: Is Warp Drive Real?
(Title image by DALL-E 3)
Hi WA Friends
Just a short post for all you Star Trek fans out there. Yes, it has very little or possibly nothing to do with online marketing unless you have a physics niche, but look at it as a great little diversion from doing more of the same throughout the day unless you're watching the Olympics. Lol 😎
Why This?
Last night, I was watching an episode of one of my favorite YouTubers, Sabine Hossenfelder. She discussed some of the recent research on warp drives and the roadblocks to making them a reality. Yes, warp drive IS a thing, well, at least theoretically!
It piqued my interest because way back in 1994, I became interested in the possibility of faster-than-light travel after reading a paper published by physicist Miguel Alcubierre from the University of Wales called "The warp drive: hyper-fast travel within general relativity." He came up with a theoretical way to make it happen, called a "Warp drive bubble."
How A Warp Bubble Could Work
Simply stated, the warp drive bubble expands space behind the ship and contracts it in front, effectively moving the bubble (and the ship inside it) faster than light. Sounds awesome, right?
Potential Problems
Well, there are a couple of problems to be solved before we can make Star Trek a reality. First, we need exotic matter with negative energy density to create this bubble.
Then, there’s the energy requirement. Early estimates suggested you’d need the energy from a planet the size of Jupiter. Yes, an entire planet!, or about two-thirds the mass of the sun, as Sabine points out, which would collapse into a black hole if it was compressed into a warp bubble with a radius of about one Kilometer!
Even if we did find exotic matter and harness all that energy, keeping the bubble stable would be a cosmic juggling act. And let's not forget the potential radiation hazards or the mind-boggling tech we’d need to control the whole thing!
Why Do We Really Care?
Well, understanding these space-bending bubbles could one day help us actually detect them or even understand new physics. Plus, who wouldn’t want to say we finally made Star Trek a reality? Lol 👍 😃
Further Exploration
If you're still with me and you want to "Go where no man (or woman) has gone before," you might want to check out these references to learn more:
Sabine's YouTube episode (like & subscribe!)
https://youtu.be/P4RXqQspa_M?si=AyXcmYLU1rK7ul_Z
Miguel Alcubierre’s 1994 paper
https://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/0009013
Katy Clough's Gravitational Waveforms From Warp Drive Collapse paper (referred to in Sabine's video)
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2406.02466
Tell Me What You Think
Anything to add on this topic? If not, tell me your favorite Star Trek episode!
Oh, and let's add a guitar moving at Warp One to this celestial mix. Lol 😂
Courtesy of DALL-E 3
Okay, back to work, AND ...
Keep On Rockin' It! 🤘
Frank 🎸
~ 85% Human written content
Recent Comments
25
Great Article, Frank. I would love for Star Trek to be real. :)
But, I believe we need to colonize the solar system first. If you enjoyed that, then you might also enjoy this. Author: M.A.Rothman. 2 Book series Primordial Threat, and Freedom's Last Gasp. Both deal with this subject. Good reads also. :)
JD
Thanks Frank! I did used to love Star Trek more than I do now but thank you for the links. I'm gonna check it out! :)
Myra ♥️
Well Frank, now you have touched on a topic close to my heart!
I started with the original Star Trek in the early 60's and love most of the future adaptations of Star Trek.
I recently read and I apologize as to where about faster than light is certainly possible and its been demonstrated at the quantum level.
I've had a few Cameo's done by Jonathan Frakes for me and one of my daughters.
Live Long and Prosper!
Mel
Hi Mel
I saw the very first episode of the original Star Trek series as a small child when it debuted on TV.
Wow, William Riker, super-cool! What a keep-sake! 👍👍😎
Check out the links I left in the post. I think you will find them very interesting!
Rock On!
I will Frank! Thanks!
Yes, I started with the original Star Trek. Came on 4 pm just after I came home from school.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faster-than-light#:~:text=In quantum mechanics, virtual particles,section on static fields above).
Mel
Hi Mel
Yeah, I loved that, along with The Twilight Zone & The Outer Limits! Lol
Those were the days.
Thanks for the link. 😎
Frank 🤘🎸
Finally, a song Frank!
Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
Think of all the great things we would do?
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La-la-la-da-da-da
La-la-la-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da
Yes, I loved those 2 shows also.
Me
Haha, Mel
When I was young my dad loved that song and would ask me to play it for him on the guitar.
He and my mother would sing and dance around the room, usually with a martini in hand.
Those WERE the days, my friend! 👍👍😎
Frank 🎸
See more comments
Hey Frank
I was a bit of a Treky back in the day, but I'll leave the warp drive stuff to you. 😂😂
Awesome guitar, looks like a Schecter to me.
Keep on Rockin!! 🎸🤘😎
Tim 🎼
Hi Tim
How about adding the power of warp drive to a Marshall stack? It would be like having 1,000 EL-34 tubes! Hahaha 😂 🤣
The image was modeled from a Schecter 7-string; great call! 👍👍
Here's your gold "Metal" (get it?) in the Olympic Guitar ID category:🥇 Lol 😎
Happy Friday 🥳
Frank 🤘🎸
Haha, thanks for the "Metal", Frank!
A warp drive Marshall, sounds like a few guitar players I've jammed with over the years!! 🤣🤣🤣🎸🎸
Have a great one and keep on Rockin!
Tim 🎼
Hi Tim
Yeah, it's hard to beat a Marshall stack out of control with a hot guitar. Well, maybe a Laney. Lol 😂
Keep Rockin' It! 🤘
Frank 🎸