New research suggests that “warp drive” may be possible, a method of high-speed space travel that will be familiar to many sci-fi and Star Trek fans.
These super-powerful space engines can manipulate space-time by compressing what is in front of them and expanding what is behind them.
This creates a phenomenon known as a “warp bubble,” which in science fiction would allow spaceships to travel at high speeds, some even faster than the speed of light.
The matter was investigated after scientists suggested that aliens may have used a “warp drive” to leave a trail in space.
Previous research published in 1994 suggested this might be possible using a substance that may or may not exist, but new research suggests a way to achieve this without it.
“This study changes the conversation about warp drive,” said lead author Jared Fuchs of the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the research think tank Applied Physics. “By demonstrating the model for the first time, we show that warp drive is not just something found in science fiction.”
New research suggests 'warp drive' may be mathematically possible / coffeekai, iStock
According to the statement, the new model “uses an ingenious combination of conventional and novel gravity technologies to create a 'warp bubble' capable of transporting objects at high speeds within the bounds of known physics.”
However, this proposal does not allow for travel faster than the speed of light.
Fuchs and his team acknowledge that this is a single study, and that we're still a long way from actually building a “warp drive,” even if others can prove the math behind it.
“While we're not yet ready for interstellar travel, this research heralds a new era of possibilities,” Applied Physics CEO Gianni Martire said in the same statement.
“We continue to make steady progress as humanity enters the Warp Age.”
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