2007-01-03 03:19:03 · 8 answers · asked by Michael n 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
'sub-space' should really be called 'super-dimentional space' as far as I understand. It is merely a label for all those dimentions in string theory (or M-theory, if you prefer) above the 'normal' first 4.
According to special relativity, the speed of light can not be exceeded. This is, of course, true in 4D. In super-dimentional space, however, it is conceivable. The difficulty is that our frame of reference is only explained explicitly in 4D. If we could explicitly describe our frame of reference in all super-dimentional space, then we would see that the speed of light can not be exceeded at all. As the higher dimentions can't be expressed explicitly because we can not percieved them or make measurements in them. For this reason, in our 4D frame of reference, we may be able to appear to travel superluminously (faster than light) by traversing these higher dimentions.
Remember, the speed of light is defined as a scalar, so if all dimentions are included it would be impossible to exceed this speed. If, however, we can only make observations in 4D, the speed of light is only constant in 4D and can be exceeded in the other dimentions from our perspective (although for those higher-dimentions frame of reference, it would not be exceeded).
It's a little complicated, but yes, I suppose faster-than-light travel would be possible if we could apply a force in a super-dimentional direction.
But of course, we can't. We can't apply a force in more than 4D, so we can't move matter through the super-dimentional space.
I am not being a naive sci-fi fan when I say that maybe in the future we will be able to apply this super-dimentional force, but at present it is totally impossible.
And, in fact, it is impossible for the forseeable future. No-one has yet even come close to understanding how to apply this force. I personally believe that this will remain impossible indefinately
2007-01-03 04:08:37 · answer #1 · answered by Mawkish 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In additon, as we move faster in our time, time itself begins to slow for the traveller. If we were to travel ' AT' the speed of light everything would stop. Heartbeats, motion of the cosmos, and our own motion, as well. If it were possible to exceed the speed of light we would be entering a region to be known as "Imaginary Time," were time speeds up from infinity to our time. It is called imaginary because it is some weird time with some strange unit attached to it.
I think, it is also safe to say beyond the speed of light our physical laws fail and are no longer valid. So nothing as we know it would apply in this region. This may very well be the connection to parallel universes, or the means of getting there. we just don't know at this point, and we may never be able to find out.
Which is why we get that weird effect of time speeding up from infinity to our time, rather than slowing down, as one would expect.
2007-01-03 05:20:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sub space was invented by the writers of star trek - there's no such thing.
2007-01-03 03:21:11 · answer #3 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not familiar with the term, "sub-space."
Sounds like maybe a fictional term for a SciFi novel?
2007-01-03 03:25:07 · answer #4 · answered by LeAnne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol
sure, why not.
Only problem is that 'sub-space' is something made up by the star-trek TV show and has absolutely no basis in reality.
2007-01-03 03:20:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
So far we don't know if any sort of 'subspace' exists. However if it did it would probably not be possible to go faster than light in it.
2007-01-03 03:21:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes on TV and in the Magnus robot fighter comic books which came out before Star Trek!
2007-01-03 06:22:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You do know the difference between fact and fiction don't you?
No.
Well off to the library then.
2007-01-03 05:23:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋