Ask Us

Space Physics:
Wormholes, Time Travel, and Faster-Than-Speed-of-Light Theories

Wormholes

Are wormholes in space real, or are they only science fiction?

Wormholes are allowed to exist in the math of "General Relativity", which is our best description of the Universe. Assuming that general relativity is correct, there may be wormholes. But no one has any idea how they would be created, and there is no evidence for anything like a wormhole in the observed Universe.

However, many experts in the field of gravitation and general relativity have done a lot of work on them, including Stephen Hawking and Kip Thorne. A good book on this subject is Black holes and Timewarps, Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip Thorne.

Drs. Eric Christian and Louis Barbier

Keeping a Wormhole Open?

I read that it is not known how to keep wormholes open. I was informed that extreme amounts of negative energy could in fact open and keep a wormhole open, opening up the possibility of intersteller or interdimensional travel through these theoretical holes. What is your opinion on this?

There is no known way to created these enormous amounts of negative energy; we currently don't know how to create or sustain a wormhole.

Dr. Eric Christian

What Does a Wormhole Look Like?

I was looking for an image of a wormhole on your site that showed the directional arrows of flow in and out of it, then I saw the image of the hurricane. Is a wormhole stationary in space, or is it more like a hurricane that is spinning as well?

The first thing I should say is that there is no proof that wormholes exist. They are allowed for in the math of General Relativity (which is our current best guess as to how the Universe works), but they've never been observed, and no one can figure out how one would actually be created. If they do exist, then there will probably be some material rotating around the outside of the wormhole and it might look "something" like a hurricane.

Dr. Eric Christian

What About Wormholes and Time Travel?

Concerning the question "What would have to be done in order to make time travel possible?", your reply gave the impression that time travel would only be possible though the use of the general theory of relativity, even though I have come across many other interesting theories in my research. For example, I have found that it would be possible to use a wormhole to travel through time since a wormhole is able to travel through space-time. What are some of the newer theores concerning time travel?

General Relativity is the only theory currently that appears to explain everything we know about space-time. Wormholes were "discovered" as an allowable solution to the math of General Relativity; they are not a separate theory. Also, a wormhole is not really a means of going back in time, it's a shortcut, so that something that was far away is much closer. (See the answer to the "Faster Than Speed of Light" question.)

Dr. Eric Christian

Time Travel

What would have to be done in order to make time travel possible?

The first answer I thought of is that the laws of physics would have to change. Now this does not necessarily mean that the Universe would have to change. Our understanding of the Universe, and the laws of physics that we use, are certainly imperfect. And general relativity does seem to allow some paths through space-time that may indicate a possibility for time travel, but these are way beyond our ability to test (for example, orbiting a multi-light-year long, supermassive rotating cylinder). So at the moment, there is certainly no known way for time travel.

Dr. Eric Christian

Particles Faster than Light

Are there any theories that would suggest that any particles could possibly go faster than the speed of light?

Tachyons are postulated as particles that might exceed the speed of light. For an excellent review, check out Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Tachyons.

Dr. Louis Barbier
(November 2001)


Faster Than Speed of Light?

Is faster-than-light-speed possible? If so, does it involve the use of the Worm Hole Theory?

Faster than light speed is not possible within the theories that we currently think explain the Universe best. That does not mean that it is impossible, since our understanding of the Universe is limited. Many of us hope that some way will be found to circumvent "The Laws of Physics". A wormhole is not really a means of going faster than light (or backward or forward in time); it's a shortcut so that something that was far away is much closer. You can think of an ant on a piece of paper. If that ant could fold the paper around and poke a hole through it, it could get to the far end much faster than if it just walked. That's what a wormhole does in 3D space.

Dr. Eric Christian