• Faster-than-Light Travel is Impossible (Revised 2nd Edition)
    303 replies, posted
Second? Yeah, my first one was years ago. But, I digress, there is a very real reason that any type of faster-than-light travel simply cannot happen within or without our spiffy little universe. It's simply causality. So long as this law holds true as it is assumed, no event that would breach causality could ever hope to occur. For quite possibly the same reasons it's impossible to directly observe an object of infinite density (the theorized "local singularity" of a black hole), time dilation increases acutely the closer you get to the speed of light so that you can't arrive at your destination before the light proving your existence on Earth gets there (enjoy traveling to α Centauri in 50 years, human civilization might be extinct when you get there), and energy requirements to get there simply can't be obtained or don't exist (Alcubierre drives requiring magnitudes more energy than the combined mass of the universe, and there is of course the problem that there's no way to escape the warp field; also, exotic particles like tachyons which are largely theory and fiction). Hyperspace, the Empyrean, the Warp, Slipspace, these are all gods out of the machine, deftly allowing the creation of interstellar sagas of human exploration for our entertainment. But none of it is real. The multiverse might be real. The genesis singularity might not have been the absolute beginning for what lies beyond. Time might have more than one dimension, or all exist at once. There are various wondrous things to still be discovered about everything and nothing. But don't think too hard about FTL travel. That'll be science fiction for a very long time.
A+ thread would read again
Thank you random internet stranger. I believe you.
It's all about worm holes, brah
the alcubierre drive energy requirements have been worked down to less than 3 solar masses which is very feasible with antimatter
[QUOTE=Atlascore;32298547]Until we have the ability to make a machine move at the speed of light we can't truly say it's impossible, we have no way to actually test this. People were saying everything we have right now technologically was impossible a hundred years ago, of course we know infinitely more now than then, but until we have something to actually test the theory it's stupid to say [b]anything[/b] is impossible when we have no way of actually testing it.[/QUOTE] A fresh view on things. Seems that's rare enough in the scientific field these days, unfortunately. What happened to the old days? All the old optimism's gone.
Theoretically its impossible, we don't know the actual result of going the speed of light though.
Tachyons... nuff said.
from what iʻve heard, i gathered that if one somehow had the ability to travel at the speed of light, time would not exist...is this correct?
time doesn't exactly exist in the first place
doesnt time exist because of light? not literally though, like it exists because of the speed that light travels...not sure how to explain it i guess the closest i can come to explaining my question is: time exists because of the way we perceive light
[QUOTE=nERVEcenter;32298413]The multiverse might be real. The genesis singularity might not have been the absolute beginning for what lies beyond. Time might have more than one dimension, or all exist at once. There are various wondrous things to still be discovered about everything and nothing. But don't think too hard about FTL travel. That'll be science fiction for a very long time.[/QUOTE] Wow its like you heard the promos for morgan freemans science show
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;32298671]doesnt time exist because of light?[/QUOTE] no
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;32298650]from what iʻve heard, i gathered that if one somehow had the ability to travel at the speed of light, time would not exist...is this correct?[/QUOTE] Well, if what Lord of Ears has informed me of: [QUOTE]the alcubierre drive energy requirements have been worked down to less than 3 solar masses which is very feasible with antimatter [/QUOTE] Is true, then I'd imagine it's possible. People wouldn't still be at it if fundamental mechanics imperative to the existence of everything would just stop existing willy-nilly!
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;32298650]from what iʻve heard, i gathered that if one somehow had the ability to travel at the speed of light, time would not exist...is this correct?[/QUOTE] The reason why you can't go the speed of light (according to Steven Hawking and many other leading theoretical physicists) is because time slows down as you get closer and closer to the speed of light. So yeah. Time would have to not exist for you to break the rule. Issue is, what time is to us is three dimensional objects moving from one place to another. One point of 3D space to the next is like a line (at least this is how I think of it, okay). In (my) theory, if you did somehow magically breach the speed of light, you wouldn't be able to move.
It is quite possible you just need to move everything around the ship rather than have the ship move. If you ever watch Star Trek and they talk about warp bubbles that's exactly it. For all that does is increase the speed at which the light move from bending and crazy science mobojumbo here.
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;32298671]doesnt time exist because of light? not literally though, like it exists because of the speed that light travels...not sure how to explain it[/QUOTE] If there was no light, we'd just be blind?
Dude, What you just said was possibly The smartest thing I will ever read, in my entire high school "career"
[QUOTE=AbysalRush;32298696]If there was no light, we'd just be blind?[/QUOTE] If there was no light we wouldn't know what blind is :v: [editline]14th September 2011[/editline] IMO the speed of light is the one unbreakable rule of the universe.
[QUOTE=DELL;32298695]It is quite possible you just need to move everything around the ship rather than have the ship move. If you ever watch Star Trek and they talk about warp bubbles that's exactly it. For all that does is increase the speed at which the light move from bending and crazy science mobojumbo here.[/QUOTE] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive"]it's real[/URL]
[QUOTE=AbysalRush;32298696]If there was no light, we'd just be blind?[/QUOTE] If you were going past the speed of light, then yes, everything would be black. Edit: [QUOTE=ZestyLemons;32298718] IMO the speed of light is the one unbreakable rule of the universe.[/QUOTE] Like I said, we need to stay optimistic.
Anything is possible with science ..right guys?
[QUOTE=Atlascore;32298547]Until we have the ability to make a machine move at the speed of light we can't truly say it's impossible, we have no way to actually test this. People were saying everything we have right now technologically was impossible a hundred years ago, of course we know infinitely more now than then, but until we have something to actually test the theory it's stupid to say [b]anything[/b] is impossible when we have no way of actually testing it.[/QUOTE] Until we actually build a working spacecraft out of nothing but wood and lint, we can't truly say it's impossible. [QUOTE=Cone;32298749]If you were going past the speed of light, then yes, everything would be black.[/quote] General relativity. Light always appears to travel at c=3e8 m/s to the subject regardless of the speed of the subject relative to the light. Going to read up and confirm this, I remember seeing some theory on it.
[QUOTE=nERVEcenter;32298778]Until we actually build a working spacecraft out of nothing but wood and lint, we can't truly say it's impossible.[/QUOTE] Well... yeah. More or less, that's the point. Has anyone ever tried it?
[QUOTE=nERVEcenter;32298413]Second? Yeah, my first one was years ago. But, I digress, there is a very real reason that any type of faster-than-light travel simply cannot happen within or without our spiffy little universe. It's simply causality. So long as this law holds true as it is assumed, no event that would breach causality could ever hope to occur. For quite possibly the same reasons it's impossible to directly observe an object of infinite density (the theorized "local singularity" of a black hole), time dilation increases acutely the closer you get to the speed of light so that you can't arrive at your destination before the light proving your existence on Earth gets there (enjoy traveling to α Centauri in 50 years, human civilization might be extinct when you get there), and energy requirements to get there simply can't be obtained or don't exist (Alcubierre drives requiring magnitudes more energy than the combined mass of the universe, and there is of course the problem that there's no way to escape the warp field; also, exotic particles like tachyons which are largely theory and fiction). Hyperspace, the Empyrean, the Warp, Slipspace, these are all gods out of the machine, deftly allowing the creation of interstellar sagas of human exploration for our entertainment. But none of it is real. The multiverse might be real. The genesis singularity might not have been the absolute beginning for what lies beyond. Time might have more than one dimension, or all exist at once. There are various wondrous things to still be discovered about everything and nothing. But don't think too hard about FTL travel. That'll be science fiction for a very long time.[/QUOTE] A++ example of a person who's creativity has been crushed by the educational system. [editline]15th September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Cone;32298793]Well... yeah. More or less, that's the point. Has anyone ever tried it?[/QUOTE] We have invented the engines, just nothing to power them.
[QUOTE=mobrockers2;32298818] We have invented the engines, just nothing to power them.[/QUOTE] Then we find something to power them. What happened to good 'ol human ingenuity?
[QUOTE=mobrockers2;32298818]A++ example of a person who's creativity has been crushed by the educational system.[/QUOTE] Creativity can't solve causality. As a result, we might transcend our humanity and become gods amongst the stars, but there are certain laws that need to be obeyed. So far science hasn't violated any proven theorems. Of course, solving that pesky [i]everything[/i] problem and uniting classical physics with quantum physics might open up a whole new realm of possibilities in construction and transportation, but thus far, we haven't violated any fundamental principles in our search for answers. Unless the speed of light isn't fundamental. [QUOTE=DELL;32298695]It is quite possible you just need to move everything around the ship rather than have the ship move. If you ever watch Star Trek and they talk about warp bubbles that's exactly it. For all that does is increase the speed at which the light move from bending and crazy science mobojumbo here.[/QUOTE] Star Trek's warp drives are Alcubierre drives, and I already explained in the OP why that's theoretically impossible. The warp field is possible. But the vehicle and the travel are definitely unlikely. [QUOTE=vizard38;32298646]Tachyons... nuff said.[/QUOTE] Theory and fiction. They're a convenient solution to several famous equations, but that's about it.
[QUOTE=nERVEcenter;32298856]Creativity can't solve causality. As a result, we might transcend our humanity and become gods amongst the stars, but there are certain laws that need to be obeyed. So far science hasn't violated any proven theorems. Of course, solving that pesky [i]everything[/i] problem and uniting classical physics with quantum physics might open up a whole new realm of possibilities in construction and transportation, but thus far, we haven't violated any fundamental principles in our search for answers. Unless the speed of light isn't fundamental. Star Trek's warp drives are Alcubierre drives, and I already explained in the OP why that's theoretically impossible. The warp field is possible. But the vehicle and the travel are definitely unlikely. Theory and fiction. They're a convenient solution to several famous equations, but that's about it.[/QUOTE] If we can't solve anything now, then we wait for someone smarter than Hawking to solve our problems. If we get impatient, then we become smart to suit our needs. Again, a little human ingenuity can solve every problem on the planet and beyond.
[QUOTE=Atlascore;32298547]Until we have the ability to make a machine move at the speed of light we can't truly say it's impossible[/QUOTE] You literally just said "We can't say it's impossible until we prove it's possible".
[QUOTE=fenwick;32298928]You literally just said "We can't say it's impossible until we prove it's possible".[/QUOTE] The thing is, we'll never know if it's truly impossible. If the smartest man in the universe said it was impossible, then I'd say he wasn't the smartest man in the universe. The closest thing to something impossible I have is something I haven't got around to yet.
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