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The Downside of Warp Drives: Annihilating Whole Star Systems When You Arrive

Posted by Soulskill on from the minor-details dept.

MrSeb writes "The dream of faster-than-light travel has been on the mind of humanity for generations. Until recently, though, it was restricted to the realm of pure science fiction. Theoretical mechanisms for warp drives have been posited by science, some of which actually jive quite nicely with what we know of physics. Of course, that doesn't mean they're actually going to work, though. NASA researchers recently revisited the Alcubierre warp drive and concluded that its power requirements were not as impossible as once thought. However, a new analysis from the University of Sydney claims that using a warp drive of this design comes with a drawback. Specifically, it could cause cataclysmic explosions at your destination."

11 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Not the destination that matters by discord5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's not the destination that matters, it's how you get there. Nothing stresses this as much as blowing up your destination when you get there.

    1. Re:Not the destination that matters by sycodon · · Score: 5, Funny

      Crap, now the Environmentalists are going to get involved. It will never be built now.

      --
      When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    2. Re:Not the destination that matters by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's not the destination that matters, it's how you get there. Nothing stresses this as much as blowing up your destination when you get there.

      Well, it would fit NASA's (unspoken) mission. Just like with the Moon - "to boldly go where no man will go henceforth".

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  2. Downside? Sounds like a perfect weapon system by Nadaka · · Score: 5, Funny

    Downside? Sounds like a perfect weapon system for interstellar conflict.

    1. Re:Downside? Sounds like a perfect weapon system by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

      The longer the journey lasts, the more of these dangerous particles build up. This doesn’t affect the ability of the warp drive to keep bending the laws of the universe — it’s the stopping that’s going to ruin your day.

      Somebody set us up the bomb!

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  3. Duh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's why you drop to impulse _before_ you go into the star system

  4. Theoritical fix for theoritical problem by FilmedInNoir · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If we have enough tech to make a warp drive we can probably disperse energy on route as opposed to all of it at the end of the trip.

    --
    Sig. Sig. Sputnik
    1. Re:Theoritical fix for theoritical problem by MozeeToby · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If we have the technology to make a negative gravitational gradient (which all the FTL theoretical engines require, incidentally) you can do a lot of neat stuff. Make a ball of negative mass matter and let go and watch it shoot straight up just for kicks. Of course, there's absolutely no reason to expect that such a material is possible; oh sure, the math works out if you assume it can exist, but that doesn't mean that it is physically possible.

  5. Duh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    FTA:

    "Although we often think of space as empty, there are loads of high-energy particles shooting through the void. The University of Sydney research [PDF] indicates that these particles are liable to get swept up in the craft’s warp field and remain trapped in the stable bubble."

    And

    "All the energetic particles trapped during the journey have to go somewhere, and the researchers believe they would be blasted outward in a cone directly in front of the ship. Anyone or anything waiting for you at the other end of your trip would be destroyed."

    Looks like SOMEONES never heard of Bussard collectors....

  6. They figured out how to weaponize it... by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Funny

    This will GUARANTEE it will be made. It is now a military project, warp cruise missle, set it to the destination via a nice long route and have it drop out of warp near the other planet or star...... KABOOM!...

    Freaking A, take that Omicron Persei 8!

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  7. Maybe this is where OMG particles come from by istartedi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Advanced civilizations might have this drive, and prevent too much particle buildup. It might not be perfect though, so every once in a while a handful of particles come along for the ride. How else do you explain a proton with the kinetic energy of a pitched baseball?

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?