Slashdot Mirror


Star Trek's Warp Drive Not Impossible

Trunks writes "No doubt trying to ride the hype train that's currently going for the new Star Trek film, Space.com has a new article detailing how warp drive may not be impossible to acheive. From the article: '"The idea is that you take a chunk of space-time and move it," said Marc Millis, former head of NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project. "The vehicle inside that bubble thinks that it's not moving at all. It's the space-time that's moving." One reason this idea seems credible is that scientists think it may already have happened. Some models suggest that space-time expanded at a rate faster than light speed during a period of rapid inflation shortly after the Big Bang. "If it could do it for the Big Bang, why not for our space drives?" Millis said.' Simple, right?"

40 of 541 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So which is it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The last article was just to make the conclusion of this one seem more impresseve. It is impossible to do unless you reroute tacheons through the deflector shield.

  2. Re:LHC by teko_teko · · Score: 3, Funny

    You can take a superconducting magnet from the LHC to build your own warp drive. Just be careful not to fail the test after the aliens notice us.

  3. The really important question by Nkwe · · Score: 5, Funny

    If we can skip through space and time, can we use this to skip commercials?

  4. Re:So which is it by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

    Geeks don't build shit, Nerds do.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  5. Simple by Locke2005 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Instead of driving your car to work each morning, you leave your car in one place and rotate the earth until your car and workplace are at the same place. Simple, right?"

    I'll believe Faster Than Light travel when I actually see it...

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  6. Re:So which is it by Yvan256 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Of course he did. He's posting from the past about how warp drives are impossible only to hide the fact that HE has a time masheen.

  7. Re:LHC by Yvan256 · · Score: 3, Funny

    And if you live in Finland, don't nuke yourselves just to make the rest of us look guilty.

  8. Who put the military in charge anyway? by tlambert · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who put the military in charge anyway?

    Who is the General Relativity, and why does he think he can order us around; we're civilians, right?

    -- Terry

  9. Come on... by mcrbids · · Score: 5, Funny

    The LHC hurls particles with about as much kinetic energy as a flying fruit fly around. Earth is constantly bombarded with particles having orders of magnitude more energy, so if LHC could cause a black hole, we wouldn't be here to build it!

    The point isn't the amount of energy (Earth is bombarded with higher energy particles constantly) but that it's finely controlled and we can observe exactly what happens when two sub-atomic particles collide with a respectable amount of energy to let us know what's really going on down at that level. And that's fascinating.

    Could LHC cause the earth to implode? Perhaps with the same likelihood that Universe was created by a 7 foot tall bunny made out of spaghetti, used VHS video tape and lug nuts, or that all the subatomic particles in your body will suddenly decide to move together through the wall behind you into the ladies room on the other side and you end up convicted of a sexual crime, even though you are innocent. Possible? Yes, but don't think that "possible" means anything other than "all but infinitely unlikely except that it's near impossible to prove a negative".

    And don't forget: there is a non-zero chance that the universe WAS created by a 7-foot tall bunny made of spaghetti, used video tape, and lug nuts! Everybody panic!!!

    --
    I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
  10. Re:Simple, right? by maxume · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't see why you are being such a negative Nancy, all you have to do is create a universe and suck the energy you need out of it.

    --
    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  11. Re:So which is it by Daniel+Dvorkin · · Score: 5, Funny

    There is nothing dorkier than geeks and nerds arguing over the correct name to use for wonks.

    --
    The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
  12. Re:So which is it by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 2, Funny

    And don't forget to reverse the polarity of something.

    --
    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  13. Big Bang post by clyde_cadiddlehopper · · Score: 2, Funny
    Let's get them all over at once:

    In Soviet Russia, space-time warps you.

    Is this how Natalie Portman got here?

    Moving blobs of space-time: What could possibly go wrong?

    TFA explains why I read this /. post yesterday.

    How to leave Mom's basement.

    It's working in the next Linux kernel.

    If it already happened isn't that prior art?

    Samzenpus can't spell "achieve". Editors must have beamed up.

    and last but not least ... IANAL but isn't traveling faster than light illegal?

    --
    Obi-Wan: "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were sudden
    1. Re:Big Bang post by SomeJoel · · Score: 2, Funny

      You must be new here.

      --
      <Complete your profile by adding a signature!>
  14. Re:So which is it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have a time machine, of course it only goes forwards (to avoid paradoxes) and sadly it only goes at regular speed.

  15. Re:So which is it by stonedcat · · Score: 5, Funny

    Reverse the polarity of the phase inverters for best results.

    --
    You can't take the sky from me.
  16. Not Impossible by mrbobjoe · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just very, very improbable.

  17. Re:So which is it by JWSmythe · · Score: 5, Funny

        I made a time machine that goes back in time, but unfortunately it's caused an infinite loop. It was suppose to make a small field go back. Instead, it encompassed the entire planet. I can't do anything to stop it. I found it's physically impossible to get near myself, and the first incarnation of me didn't leave the machine for many days before the experiment started.

        I've tried to explain what's happened to people, but it's a severe case of Cassandra syndrome. I know the future, but no one will believe me. No one else remembers that they've already experienced this but me, probably because of my initial proximity to the machine.

        But, this isn't the first time I tried to explain. None of you will believe me. And the machine will again loop us at 22:05 Eastern.

        So, it will happen again. and again. and there's nothing I can do about it. If only I could adjust the parameters just a little. Maybe widen the window so I had more time to explain. Maybe induce a fault so it doesn't happen at all. I've tried everything to make this stop. Damn my security. I can't even hack into my servers remotely to change anything.

        You won't ever notice, and you won't ever age, but I continue to age. I'm an old man now. I would leave a note, but it will be gone when our next event happens. When I die, if I can die, it will be my only salvation. I've tried to die before, but I always wake up in the same place after the event happens again.

        I would like to apologize again, like I have countless times before, but it will fall on deaf ears.

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  18. Oblig. Spaceballs reference by nota_bene22 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Colonel Sandurz: Prepare ship for light speed.
    Dark Helmet: No, no, no, light speed is too slow.
    Colonel Sandurz: Light speed, too slow?
    Dark Helmet: Yes, we're gonna have to go right to ludicrous speed.
    Colonel Sandurz: Ludicrous speed?! Sir, we've never gone that fast before. I don't know if this ship can take it!
    Dark Helmet: What's the matter Colonel Sandurz? Chicken?

  19. Re:So which is it by Etrias · · Score: 4, Funny

    Something tells me I've seen this reply before. Oooooo....deja vu!

  20. Re:To the casually ignorant by mR.bRiGhTsId3 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Heisenberg compensators. Gosh!

  21. Re:So which is it by GF678 · · Score: 3, Funny

    And don't forget to reverse the polarity of something.

    If I revers the polarity of my laptop's power connectors, will that give my laptop warp capability? I gotta try that!

  22. Re:So which is it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So... it's all YOUR fault. You are the reason for all the duplicate stories on Slashdot.

  23. Re:Simple, right? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yo dawg, we heard you like to suck energy from universes so we put an universe inside your universe so you can suck while you suck

  24. Re:So which is it by JWSmythe · · Score: 3, Funny

        Like I've said thousands of times over, I'm sorry.

        Oh, you won't remember, and you'll say it again.

        I should just give up, and use the next few events to cheat in Vegas and spend the rest of that cycle blowing my winnings on really great hookers and booze. I won't have a hangover, and I won't catch anything. I guess there are advantages to this. :)

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  25. Re:That's not WARP technology.... by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Funny

    Leto (8058), you need to accept who you are. You are a geek.

    Dude, he's got a 4-digit ID on Slashdot and a user name with a reference to Dune ... he already knows he's a geek. :-P

    Cheers

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  26. Re:So which is it by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 3, Funny

    Stop being such a jerk to Andie MacDowell and trying to get in her pants all the time and maybe you'll break the loop. After all, the great lesson of the universe is trying to score is evil. Stop touching yourself!

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  27. Re:So which is it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Where time becomes a loop.

  28. Yes but... by Sfing_ter · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yes but does it go to ELEVEN?

    --
    A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Emo Philips
  29. Re:So which is it by saskboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even my voltmeter works better when I reverse the polarity; instead of -1.5V for a battery it becomes 1.5V.

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
  30. Re:So which is it by icannotthinkofaname · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought it broke because the God particle has to exist solely on faith, and would cease to exist if proof of it were found, so it keeps going back in time and screwing up the LHC....

    Silly me....

    --
    Let q be a radix > 1. I am in ur base-q, killing 10 d00ds.
  31. Re:So which is it by erpbridge · · Score: 5, Funny

    The only warp capability you might possibly get with your laptop would be of the OS2 variety.

  32. Re:So which is it by Tyr_7BE · · Score: 3, Funny

    Bill Murray, is that you?

  33. Re:So which is it by MarkRose · · Score: 2, Funny

    Shut up, dweeb.

    --
    Be relentless!
  34. Re:Simple, right? by Locke2005 · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you've lived in a home with a septic tank, you'll notice the grass grows better over the leech field. And furthermore... you know that spot in the back yard where you bury all the bodies? Stuff grows REALLY good there! Oh come on... I can't possibly be the only one that has noticed this!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  35. Re:Simple, right? by JWSmythe · · Score: 5, Funny

        I have a running joke with my sister. My mom didn't seem quite so entertained when we were all together for Thanksgiving one year, but it goes like this...

        Q: What do you if a hooker dies in your house.
        A: Bury her in the back yard. It saves a lot of questions that you don't want to answer.

        Q: What do you do with a dead hooker in your back yard?
        A: Leave her alone. She's quiet, so she's obviously happy.

        It started when there was a news story a couple years ago, where a guy had a prostitute over to his house. She asked if she could go take a bath. The John obliged her, and let her. After about an hour, he knocked on the door, and there was no answer. He forced his way in, and found her dead in the bathtub. She OD'd on something.

        Panicked, he didn't know what to do. He filled the tub with ice, to keep her from decomposing. That obviously wasn't a good solution. The next day, he dug a hole in the back yard and buried her. A day later, knowing that he'd get caught with a corpse buried in his back yard, he dug her back up, and put her back in the bath. He called the police, and confessed to everything.

        The physical evidence showed that she OD'd, and that by the position from rigor, she had been in the tub. It also (obviously) showed that the body had been moved, got dirty, and was put back in the tub.

        Since he was honest, and the physical evidence showed that he very likely had nothing to do with the death, they let him off. I guess they could have charged him with solicitation of prostitution, but the guy was extremely freaked out about the whole thing, and was honest with them. They decided he had been through enough, and didn't press any charges.

        I like the easier answer. Don't have a hooker come over to your house. :)

       

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  36. Re:Simple, right? by ElectricRook · · Score: 2, Funny

    we never should have left the caves for the trees...

    --
    - High Tech workers, please say NO to Union Carpenters, their Union sees fit to control our compensation.
  37. Re:So which is it by asliarun · · Score: 3, Funny

    I would like to apologize again, like I have countless times before, but it will fall on deaf ears.

    Are you married?

  38. Re:Two Words: Dark Flow by VShael · · Score: 3, Funny

    I know it says Anonymous Coward, but admit it... You're Whil Wheaton, aren't you?

  39. Re:So which is it by AP31R0N · · Score: 3, Funny

    USS Make Some Shit Up
    by Voltaire (no, not that Voltaire, the singer)

    I was stranded on a planet, Just me and Spock
    We met a nasty nazi alien who locked our asses up
    We found a hunk of crystal and a metal piece of bed
    We made a laser phaser gun and shot him in the head

    Bust a move, Tog

    I was standing on the bridge when Sulu came to me
    His eyes were full of tears he said "Captain, can't you see
    the ship is gonna blow do something I beseech"
    I grabbed a tribble and some chewing gum and stopped the warp core breach

    And I say,
    Bounce a graviton particle beam off the main deflector dish
    Thats the way we do things, lad, we're making shit up as we wish
    The Klingons and the Romulans pose no threat to us
    'Cause if we find we're in a bind we just make some shit up

    And though he's just a child, and some think him a twit
    Wesley is the master when it comes to making up some shit
    He's the guy you want with you when you go out in space
    Now if only he could beam those pimples off his face

    And if you're at a party on the starship Enterprise
    And the karaoke player just plain old up and dies
    Set up a neutrino field inside a can of peas
    Hold on to Geordi's visor and sing into Data's knee

    And I say
    Bounce a graviton particle beam off the main deflector dish
    Thats the way we do things lad, we're making shit up as we wish
    The Klingons and the Romulans pose no threat to us
    'Cause if we find we're in a bind we just make some shit up

    Sisko's on a mission to go no bloody place
    He loiters on a space station above Bajoran space
    The wormhole's opened up and now they come from near and far
    We'll keep the booze but please send back the fucking Jem-hadar

    What is with the Klingons, remember in the day
    They looked like Puerto Ricans and they dressed in gold lame
    Now they look like heavy metal rockers from the dead
    With leather pants and frizzy hair and lobsters on their heads

    And I say
    Bounce a graviton particle beam off the main deflector dish
    Thats the way we do things lad, we're making shit up as we wish
    The Klingons and the Romulans pose no threat to us
    'Cause if we find we're in a bind we just make some shit up

    Well, I was stuck on Voyager, pounding on the door
    When suddenly it dawned on me I've seen this show before
    Perhaps I'm in a warp bubble and slightly out of phase
    'Cause it was way back in the sixties when they called it "Lost in Space"

    We were looking for a way to make the ratings soar
    So we orchestrated an encounter with the Borg
    Normally you'd think that that would get us into shit
    But this one has a smashing ass and a lovely set of tits

    And I say
    Bounce a graviton particle beam off the main deflector dish
    Thats the way we do things lad, we're making shit up as we wish
    The Klingons and the Romulans pose no threat to us
    'Cause if we find we're in a bind we're totally screwed but nevermind
    We'll pull something out of our behinds, we just make some shit up

    --
    Utilizing the synergization of benchmark e-solutions to pre-workaround action items!