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Could We Find a Door To A Parallel Universe?

p1234 writes "Though no direct evidence for wormholes has been observed, this could be because they are disguised as black holes. Now Alexander Shatskiy of the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow, Russia, is suggesting a possible way to tell the two kinds of object apart. His idea assumes the existence of a bizarre substance called "phantom matter", which has been proposed to explain how wormholes might stay open. Phantom matter has negative energy and negative mass, so it creates a repulsive effect that prevents the wormhole closing. 'US expert Dr Lawrence Krauss, from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, points out that the idea rests on untested assumptions. He told New Scientist magazine: "It is an interesting attempt to actually think of what a real signature for a wormhole would be, but it is more hypothetical than observational. Without any idea of what phantom matter is and its possible interactions with light, it is not clear one can provide a general argument."'"

16 of 327 comments (clear)

  1. Yes, it's called the "portal" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Geesh, this isn't new news, it happened back in the 1960's... as I recall it was on stardate 3134.0
    we sent a captain, a doctor, and a scientist through the portal. Geesh, people have been talking about it for 40 years now.

  2. Sorry guys, can't resist by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, the door to a parallel universe finds us.

    1. Re:Sorry guys, can't resist by Namlak · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, in Soviet Russia, the parallel universe find a door to YOU!

  3. It's the Beard. by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "possible way to tell the two kinds of object apart"

    It's the beard. We've known this for some time.

  4. Re:Most useless press release ever by An.+(Coward) · · Score: 5, Funny

    Evidence schmevidence, I for one won't believe in any of this black hole nonsense until I actually see one.

  5. Does any of this matter really matter? by Stanislav_J · · Score: 4, Funny

    We had "anti-matter," "dark matter," now "phantom matter." Jesus, is there anything substantial and real in physics anymore? As the years go on, physics starts to sound less and less like science and more and more like "Alice in Wonderland." Everything seems to hinge on things we can't see, or can't measure, or can't prove. Unless some of this mumbo jumbo can give me eternal life, make women throw themselves at me, or build a better and more luscious cheeseburger, I'm not interested.

    --
    "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." -- Eric Hoffer
  6. Re:Most useless press release ever by PinkPanther · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one won't believe in any of this black hole nonsense until I actually see one

    I was going to post a Google Images link, but without SafeSearch the result list isn't exactly what you might expect...

    --
    It's a simple matter of complex programming.
  7. Re:What a Ride! by kylben · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, but he should do it in a barrel, from the Canadian side.

    --
    Insightful and funny are really the same thing, except one has a punch line.
  8. Re:Most useless press release ever by omega_dk · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe with *your* saved search history. What? Google has to use the information they save from your browsing somehow :-)

    --
    Just because you don't like the truth, does not make it false.
  9. The Existence of Phantom Matter has been Proven by DoctorMabuse · · Score: 2, Funny

    Phantom matter can be observed but only for a limited time. A wormhole can only stay open stay open for 38 minutes, unless the O'Neill power booster is connected to the power supply to the gate.

  10. Re:Most useless press release ever by ptbarnett · · Score: 4, Funny

    Evidence schmevidence, I for one won't believe in any of this black hole nonsense until I actually see one.

    Warning! Do not look into black hole with remaining eye!

    http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20080131

  11. Re:Most useless press release ever by HAKdragon · · Score: 2, Funny

    Lionel Hutz: We have a lot of hearsay and conjecture. Those are kinds of evidence.

    --
    "Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs. We have a protractor."
  12. Re:Most useless press release ever by gad_zuki! · · Score: 2, Funny

    >How about publicizing actual discoveries instead of random speculation?

    You must be new here.

  13. Re:The only universe that exists is the one you're by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess we're all too stupid to understand the Timecube...

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  14. Re:Sqrt(Negative energy) = head hurts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I disagree. Onion rings can give you bad breath and so would be divisive in any closed group in 3 dimensional space.

  15. Hawking radiation by sm62704 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Radiation here! Radiation! Get yer radiation! Here ya go buddy, that'll be $3.50. Radiation! Get yer readiation!

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest