Which SF FTL transper and power gen systems will be real?

[willpittenger]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Just as Newton breaks down at relativistic speed, perhaps Relativity is inadequate when considering faster-than-light scenarios.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />What about Quantom theory? What happens to string and M theory? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>...how to turn a wormhole into a time machine. Turns out to be surprisingly easly once you have your 'hole.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Do you need massive amounts of energy to move the hole at speeds near C? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

It would probably prove easier to build a Star Trek style warp engines that violate Special Relativity by creating their own "micro-universe" around them in a bubble. In <i>Star Trek</i>, you create that bubble, which has C much higher than normal. You then create a second bubble with C closer to normal inside that. The second bubble keeps things from getting too -- well -- weird. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[specfiction]

The warp drive couldn't work like that--see my post above. First, energy requirements unattainable. Second, this is VERY dangerous because the new metric in the vicinity of the ship might be incompatible with the ship's existence. Third, the speed of light is not the issue, gravitational polarization is what you're looking for. You warp space to ride a 3-D gravitational distortion much like a surfer rides a wave. The ship is stationary wrt to the wave so you don't violate relativity. And presumably, the gravitational wave would travel at the speed of light, not faster than light--which works for travel anywhere in the galaxy.<br /><br />All in all, the wormhole, although highly speculative, is probably your best bet, although in my story, One Way Ticket, I postulate another possibility. The upshot, though, which is more relevant to the story, is that FTL would require a lifestyle different than the one we're used to. You could no longer zip around, like in Star Trek, and have a life in synch with the rest of humanity. Once you cast off, civilization is dispersed in time as well as space. That's the really interesting and challenging part of a story like this.<br />

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

<font color="yellow"><i>" {snip} ... The upshot, though, which is more relevant to the story, is that FTL would require a lifestyle different than the one we're used to. You could no longer zip around, like in Star Trek, and have a life in synch with the rest of humanity. Once you cast off, civilization is dispersed in time as well as space. That's the really interesting and challenging part of a story like this. "</i></font><br /><br /><br />ala The Forever War by J. Haldeman. I've forgotten the name of the "train" Marygay (and others) rode on while waiting for their partners to return. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask not what your Forum Software can do do on you,</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask it to, please for the love of all that's Holy, <strong>STOP</strong> !</font></p> </div>