It is indeed feasible to construct a genuine and tangible warp drive without violating any fundamental principles of physics.

Scientists have therefore come up with the possibility of the actualization of the warp drive that is in line with the existing physics laws. Nevertheless, I have to stress that the warp-capable vessel cannot go faster than light, which makes it challenging to visit interesting locations. Nevertheless, this outstanding work can be considered as a significant step forward in understanding the nature of gravity.

Moving without motion.

General relativity theory developed by Einstein is useful in explaining gravity phenomena and relating mass/energy to spacetime curvature. These distortions, in turn, lead mass and energy on their movements. Scientists often use the equations of relativity to calculate the dynamics of certain combinations of objects. They pose a physical configuration, perhaps a celestial body moving around a star or two black holes merging and want to know how these bodies influence spacetime and the subsequent behavior of the system.

On the other hand, Einstein’s mathematics can also be employed in the reverse fashion by seeing what motion one wants to produce and then calculating the corresponding warping of spacetime. This approach enabled the Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre to work out the theoretical possibility for a warp drive – as depicted in the science fiction television series Star Trek.

The warp drive is used to go from location A to location B within a short time, and this many times includes FTL speeds. However, special relativity directly states that no object can move faster than the speed of light. Although this was not a concern for the creators of Star Trek, it did upset Alcubierre. In order to achieve a theoretical warp drive, he was able to manipulate spacetime and make the space in front of the vessel shrink while the space behind the vessel expand. This manipulation allows movement without the actual shifting of matter in any direction.

There is one thing that may strike one’s mind as somewhat paradoxical, and this is one of the features of general relativity. Specifically, Alcubierre’s warp drive does not infringe upon the speed of light as it were a spaceship that travels through space since the spacetime itself is manipulated. Rather, it does this by warping space itself so that the destination of the spacecraft is brought nearer to it.

Nonetheless, Alcubierre’s solution is not without problems. For producing the distortions in spacetime required to travel interstellar distances, the spacecraft will need to harness exotic matter, defined as the matter with a negative mass. Negative mass presents certain paradoxes that science cannot yet fully explain. For instance, it supposes that, if one were to kick a ball of -5 kilograms, the ball will move backward, contrary to the law of conservation of momentum. Moreover, no instance of an object having negative mass has been found in the real Universe.

Such challenges related to negative mass have made physicists to seek more additional “energy conditions” to be included in general relativity. These conditions are not inherent to relativity; instead, they are additions that are required because general relativity permits such things as negative mass, which appears not to exist in this Universe. These energy conditions are an effort of scientists to try and explain that while general relarity allows for superluminal motion, the rest of the universe does not seem to allow it.

Warp factor zero

As of now, the energy conditions cannot be empirically or observationally confirmed, yet they are postulates that conform to every observation of the universe and, therefore, attract the interest of physicists. Until recently, physicists assumed these energy conditions clearly prohibited the creation of a warp drive even if they wanted to.

But an international team of physicists, led by Jared Fuchs of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, has found a way around this constraint. This team, which is also linked to the Applied Propulsion Laboratory of Applied Physics, an online think tank focused on warp drive and similar fields, studied the possibility of any variant of a warp drive by studying relativity to the extreme.

Evaluating the equations of general relativity is extremely difficult, especially in complicated circumstances such as a warp drive. Rather than trying to find the solutions by hand, the team used software algorithms to iterate and find the solutions numerically and more importantly check whether the solutions meet the energy conditions.

The reader also needs to understand that the team did not build a physical model of the propulsion system. Instead, they discussed different possibilities in the context of general relativity that would allow a ship to travel from point A to point B without even feeling the acceleration or facing extremely powerful gravitating forces inside the ship. This research therefore provides consolation to the hypothetical passengers. In addition, the team examined whether these solutions met the energy demands that preclude the use of exotic matter.

The scientists have indeed uncovered a breakthrough in the form of a warp drive solution: a method of control over distances that allows persons to move from one point to another without the use of thrust. However, it is crucial to note that this warp drive has certain limitations as a science fiction material. It will always remain bound by the speed of light, meaning that the vessel and its occupants cannot travel faster than this speed. Also, one cannot help but wonder why the authors fail to explain how matter can be arranged in a manner that would allow for warping.

The future of gravity

On one side, it is frustrating to come across the fact that we already have numerous ways of travelling slower than the speed of light, like rockets, walking, etc. Thus, the introduction of another method in this list does not elicit much enthusiasm. Furthermore, even if we assume that it is possible to build this warp drive, the differences between the hypothetical idea and a physical reality are as far apart as between writing down Newton’s laws and assembling the Falcon 9 Space Launch System.

However, this does not mean that this recent development is devoid of interest. Our understanding of gravity is still somewhat limited, and Einstein’s theory is not sufficient to explain everything. Another proof that there can be a future understanding of gravity is that general relativity embraces such mind-bending and unconventional solutions as warp drives, which seem to violate other branches of physics.

According to the principles of physics, it is desirable that all theories describing the nature of the universe coincide. Hence, if the energy conditions apply strict constraints to physics like the non- existence of negative mass, then it would be better to have a physical theory that categorically bans the claim from the start rather than having an additional concept such as the energy conditions.

Exploring the dynamics, requirements, and limitations of a warp drive is one way of achieving this objective. Over the years, the energy conditions were thought to preclude the existence of all types of warp drives but new studies indicate a possible exception. In any case it would be a victory, whether an advanced superluminal warp drive would be achieved or not. This is because any future work carried out in these areas will improve the knowledge of gravity and possibly transform it.

There is much to discover once people get a better understanding of the force of gravity.

Classical and Quantum Gravity, 2024.  DOI: 10.1088/1361-6382/ad26aa

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