Do you think "Warp Speed" would ever be possible?

Answer 1

no

supposedly, if you accelerate mass faster than the speed of light, you'll need an infinite amount of energy.

thats hard to do.

maybe further understanding of quantum physics can offer us a way to teleport a ship instead.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_teleportation
the basics seem fairly simple and self working, but we have a long way to go to control each and every atom.

I'm thinking manipulating the quantum world in some way whether it be containment, tunneling, space warping or time manipulation is the only way to travel faster than light.


we "might" be able to reach the borders of light speed with antimatter/fusion engines by fuel driven engines, but that too has a long way to go.
http://www.engr.psu.edu/antimatter/Papers/AIMStar_99.pdf

Answer 2

The concept of using spatial warping as a means of propulsion has been the subject of theoretical treatment by some physicists (such as Miguel Alcubierre, see Alcubierre drive), although no concrete technological approach has ever been proposed, nor is there any known way of inducing the effect described by Alcubierre.

While thought experiments on the wilder shores of theoretical physics continue, no scheme that may allow "warp speed" travel has yet been devised that has been accepted by mainstream science. Some physicists have proposed a model of FTL travel, formulated in the context of Lorentzian manifolds, which are used in general relativity to construct spacetime models. However, contrary to a common misunderstanding, these models are in no sense solutions to the Einstein field equation, and they give absolutely no hint of how to actually make a warp bubble. These models do however show that while it is indeed impossible to go faster than the speed of light, in principle it might be possible to circumvent the problem by suitably "warping" spacetime itself. The best known theory, known as the Alcubierre drive, has the amusing feature that its terminology is in accord with Trek jargon: "warp factors" measure the warping of space (or rather spacetime), not actual speed.

The following formula (Einstein Field Equation), based on general relativity, theoretically permits the travel of an object faster than light provided that spacetime is curved:[3]


Gμν is the Einstein curvature tensor, which describes the curvature in space, while the constant G without indices is Newton's gravitational constant.

If spacetime is warped properly, then technically the object(s) are not moving faster than light, even though they appear in normal space to be moving faster than light.

Answer 3

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/research/warp/warp.html

'Warp Speed' is not a real word phrase. It stems from the science fiction television series Star Trek. Television is intended for entertainment purposes and things presented in a television program do not need to be factual or even possible in the real world.

I assume you mean travel at the speed of light. As you already know (I hope) this is not possible.

Having said that, here is some stuff you might be interested in from wiki:

"Is a nonfictional warp drive possible?

As many Star Trek fans know, many of the futuristic technologies featured in the series have actually been created (such as the hypospray) or are currently being researched (e.g., the VISOR). In 1996, NASA established the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Program, which sponsored some speculative work on warp drives. This program was discontinued in 2002.

While thought experiments on the wilder shores of theoretical physics continue, no scheme that may allow "warp speed" travel has yet been devised that has been accepted by mainstream science. Some physicists have proposed a model of FTL travel, formulated in the context of Lorentzian manifolds, which are used in general relativity to construct spacetime models. However, contrary to a common misunderstanding, these models are in no sense solutions to the Einstein field equation, and they give absolutely no hint of how to actually make a warp bubble. These models do however show that while it is indeed impossible to go faster than the speed of light, in principle it might be possible to circumvent the problem by suitably "warping" spacetime itself. The best known theory, known as the Alcubierre drive, has the amusing feature that its terminology is in accord with Trek jargon: "warp factors" measure the warping of space (or rather spacetime), not actual speed.

The following formula (Einstein Field Equation), based on general relativity, theoretically permits the travel of an object faster than light provided that spacetime is curved:

Gμν is the Einstein curvature tensor, which describes the curvature in space, while the constant G without indices is Newton's gravitational constant.

If spacetime is warped properly, then technically the object(s) are not moving faster than light, even though they appear in normal space to be moving faster than light."

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louis - your concept of black holes is pure fantasy.

Answer 4

Very doubtful. Many people are familiar with "warp" speed mentioned on Star Trek but few know what it's supposed to represent. According to one of the first books written about the series the writers explained "warp speed" in this way. Warp 8 for example is not 8 times the speed of light but it is the speed of light to the eighth power (186,000 miles per second), times itself eight times.
That means about 67 million mph. to the eighth power.
That's some imagination those guys had.
.

Answer 5

In reality? No. But then, we don't need it. Nature has given us ways to go to the end of the visible universe in a man's natural lifetime. So who needs Warp Speed?

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SR/rocket.html

But it looks cool on Star Trek, though.

:-)

Answer 6

Yes I do and they are having theories about black holes.
They are in essence vacumns or tornados without resistance.
That sucks in everything and it goes out the other end.
Maybe there is enough of them in space to carry a space ship from one galaxie to another. One day they may be mapped out and used to throw ships or suck them into one spot and throw them out in another.
They said you can't go faster than the speed of sound. We proved that to be false.
One old manuscript of experts stated if the automobile goes faster than 40 miles per hour the occupant will not be able to breath inside. Yet, we know that is not true.
"If God intended us to fly we would have had wings."
Well, now we have wings. Which who would think of going across the country taking 5 days when we fly there in 5 hours.
We have no idea what nuclear energy could do if it was used to take us through space. Some even think we don't have it .
We have submarines on nuclear energy, and have had for some time. When we quit fighting wars and are allowed to use our imigations nothing will be impossible for man.

Answer 7

It already is! Have you noticed how fast the IRS gets involved every time you start to get ahead in business?

Actually, the speed of prayer and heavenly messengers is much faster than light. But human space travel? No way, Hosay.

Answer 8

The best answer I've ever heard to this sort of question was written by Isaac Asimov.

Suppose a stone-age tribe on the west coast of North America wanted to send a message to their friends on the east coast. They might consider how long it would take to send a messenger, or how big a network of relays would be needed for signal drums or smoke signals. They would conclude that it was theoretically possible, but just not feasible.

It would not occur to them to place a phone call or get on a plane.

In this connection, *we* are that stone age tribe.

Answer 9

Yes, but not in the sense that we travel faster than the speed of light. In theory a Worm Hole can be created but passage through the worm hold through curved space/time is still slower than the speed of light.

Answer 10

yes, we have only just now started learning about space and what we can and can not do. Maybe a reverse gravity thrust.
Something that would throw us throw space at a faster rate of speed. If we have learned one thing, anything is possible.