Current Events > Do you think faster than light travel will ever be possible?

(+) Yeah! (+)

The only way that could be possible is by moving faster than light without moving faster than light such as the Alcubierre drive.

Tyranthraxus posted...

That's an issue with acceleration not velocity. Though I'm not sure how forces like that would interact with mass in superluminal speed.

K181 posted...

Only if it accelerated fast enough.

But the thing is that to get a tiny spaceship up to the speed of light, you'd basically need more energy that the universe contains.

Thanks for the info. Star Trek solved this with inertial dampers.

Devilanse333 posted...

Thanks for the info. Star Trek solved this with inertial dampers.

And warp shells (create a 'bubble' of energy around the ship and use that to push the ship at FTL speed...)

Devilanse333 posted...

Thanks for the info. Star Trek solved this with inertial dampers.

I remember one scene where they said we can go to warp speed without the inertial dampers, but wed all become stains on the back wall.

Sir_Will posted...

Obviously there are physical limitations to how fast you can go in normal space. Doesn't mean there doesn't exist some way around it. Some way of covering large distances without just trying to accelerate normally in normal space.

foreverzero212 posted...

The only way is to bend space itself so you dont have to go that fast to travel far.

Yeah, the question is could we somehow move faster than light without literally accelerating at a speed faster than light. Still, someday we might be so advanced that we can just change the laws of physics at will and accelerate as fast as we want

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Transparent aluminum....

pjnelson posted...

This, of course, presumes humans are around long enough to technologically advance that far. Concerningly, we still haven't found indication of other advanced civilizations elsewhere in the universe, possibly because no culture survives long enough to reach interstellar travel. Or it could be that we're in a simulation and there isn't life programmed in other star systems and the universe is deliberately programmed with limits like light speed to ensure we never need to know that there's nothing out there.

I like to believe that we just haven't found them yet. We've only found a few thousand planets, and out of those, only a few might be habitable. We have a lot of work to do. Space is gargantuan. We'll find them eventually.

Pikachuchupika posted...

I like to believe that we just haven't found them yet. We've only found a few thousand planets, and out of those, only a few might be habitable. We have a lot of work to do. Space is gargantuan. We'll find them eventually.

There is also the time factor. There could be other intelligent life out there near us. But if they are to or less advanced that we are, we won't see them.

And if they are incredibly advanced, they may be trying to contact us, but we can't recognize their transmission.

So we really are limited detecting civilizations that are our near-peers *RIGHT NOW*... and who are close to Earth.

TyVulpine posted...

Transparent aluminum....

I think people are sleeping on how fucking strong acrylic is. It's not "transparent aluminum" sure but I'll trust it over glass any day.

I don't think it will be possible for us as humans via a vehicle of some sorts. But I do believe that in 1000, 10000 years time if we make it that far, that there will be transportation that will exist in the same way that Stargates work. Even if it means we come out a copy of ourselves retaining all our memories and mind tranfering to the copy, but the original dies.

TyVulpine posted...

People once thought faster than sound travel was not possible, and were proven wrong.

That's not the same kind of impossible. The math says that it's literally impossible to accelerate to light speed, let alone past it.

Technician_X posted...

I think FTL as a term is a bit misleading because I believe its pretty well accepted that accelerating an object with mass to that speed is not possible.

But bypassing light speed might be, in theory. Wormholes, Alcubierre drive (warp), etc.

This. We'd need some way of bypassing the limitations of normal space.

Yes and no

No. We'll never reach another goldilocks planet or terraform. Once we kill this planet or it kills us that's all she wrote for humanity.

LeoRavus posted...

No. We'll never reach another goldilocks planet or terraform. Once we kill this planet or it kills us that's all she wrote for humanity.

Excuse me.

Good sir,

Many pardons.

A hundred pardons!

But I believe you posted this

Here

Not in our lifetimes

Time freezes at c. There is no FTL.

You can however accelerate to 99% of c and travel 10 light years in 1.5 years for example, but 10 years still passes for everything outside the ship.

To go at the speed of light, you'd have to become light itself. That's some sci-fi.

Convert light into particles and make a fusion with plasma matter in subatomic state. The resulting light form will travel twice as fast.

Pikachuchupika posted...

To go at the speed of light, you'd have to become light itself. That's some sci-fi.

Or you need to get your tacky-on.

It already is

Just create a device that changes the physical constants of spacetime around the ship.

And then change the speed of light from roughly 300,000 kps to, I dunno... 300,000,000 kps.

That way, you are travelling faster than light, compared to all the rest of normal spacetime. (But you stay under the speed of light in the bubble of altered spacetime around the ship.)

The age of the universe is 14 billion years yet its 93 billion light years in diameter so yes it is possible.

Tom_Joad posted...

Just create a device that changes the physical constants of spacetime around the ship.

And then change the speed of light from roughly 300,000 kps to, I dunno... 300,000,000 kps.

That way, you are travelling faster than light, compared to all the rest of normal spacetime. (But you stay under the speed of light in the bubble of altered spacetime around the ship.)

Isnt that just time dilation on steroids?

I used to think no, but after seeing how fast Usain Bolt can run, Im just not sure now

Tom_Joad posted...

Just create a device that changes the physical constants of spacetime around the ship.

And then change the speed of light from roughly 300,000 kps to, I dunno... 300,000,000 kps.

That way, you are travelling faster than light, compared to all the rest of normal spacetime. (But you stay under the speed of light in the bubble of altered spacetime around the ship.)

Again, not a physicist, but while that's technically theoretically possible the problem is that you'd need an astronomical amount of either strange or exotic matter to do that, if I remember correctly. So we'd basically need to harvest a huge chunk of a galaxy to do that once.

K181 posted...

Again, not a physicist, but while that's technically theoretically possible the problem is that you'd need an astronomical amount of either strange or exotic matter to do that, if I remember correctly. So we'd basically need to harvest a huge chunk of a galaxy to do that once.

I don't know if it's possible right now. But I do know that we have devices that can measure the physical constants of the universe.

And I know that once you can measure something, it's not long until you can start to manipulate it. Case in point is going from the point of just being able to measure radioactivity... to splitting the atom. I think it was in 1908 that the principles behind the Geiger counter were developed.

I can think one of the ways is to move space around the ship, not the ship moving around in space.

it's worse than you guys think.

the speed of light is the speed of information

not only is FTL impossible, but you cant even send information faster than it (or perfectly instantaneous), because it creates time paradoxes that I won't get into.

The weird part, however, is that we can build a device that would allow a computer on mars and one on earth to talk to each other in real time, but we shouldn't be able to do that. if we tried to do it, we would probably encounter some weird problems.

it's possible that FTL will only be possible with something like a stargate that you would first have to physically move and install and then it might work somehow. maintaining some kinda of Einsteinian wormhole is a potential option.

but light speed is too weird, what if we scale it back a bit? it's worse than you think.

1. let's imagine we build a ship that can constantly accelerate at earth's gravity. it's got a huge hydrogen sail and as it goes faster it picks up more hydrogen and continues to accelerate itself. We don't have to worry about gravity, the acceleration provides perfect earth gravity to the ship.
2. because of time dilation, within around 150 years on this spaceship you will have traveled to the end of time. All the stars will be dead. The protons decayed. There is just nothing. Just like in Crono Trigger :P
3. on the spaceship, 150 years pass, as i said it would be 150,000,000,000 years on earth (or therabouts).

with all that said, there are always options. In some books "hyperspace" is some kind of nearby dimension that we can access that has different fundamental physics but also doesn't tear apart our molecules. that's basically fantasy.

Okay, Robot, what's our best shot at space travel then?

Can you guess? It's worse than you think.

The only really viable way to travel the stars is to upload your consciousness into a spaceship computer and then live for 100s and 1000s of years, staving off madness, insanity, and boredom. Presumably you would live inside some kind of virtual reality world inside the ship's computer.

So you have to transform yourself into some kind of machine. Perhaps with 1000s of years to do science, math, and research you could discover a way to change your machine-based consciousness into something more permanent -- like pure light or energy, becoming a god in the process.

Robot2600 posted...

not only is FTL impossible, but you cant even send information faster than it (or perfectly instantaneous), because it creates time paradoxes that I won't get into.

I've seen videos on that, and it still makes no sense to me.

I remember someone mentioning it somewhere online that it doesnt even seem that fast

no really, light a lighter or watch the light and see how long it takes to illuminate your room with the light switch

I thought the same thing but several years before I read that. Im no scientist tho and Im sure there is a good explanation for this

so, purrr

I just watched this video on the time paradoxes

https://youtu.be/an0M-wcHw5A?si=DsF9hi6zat4cawKx

My mind is blown. Thanks for bringing it up Robot. I don't know what to think anymore. :/

OriginalPlain2 posted...

I remember someone mentioning it somewhere online that it doesnt even seem that fast

no really, light a lighter or watch the light and see how long it takes to illuminate your room with the light switch

I thought the same thing but several years before I read that. Im no scientist tho and Im sure there is a good explanation for this

so, purrr

the chemical reactions take fractions of a second to start. something like a laser pointer turns on faster.

in terms of the size of the universe, versus how slow light it, it's a huge fuck-up to be sure.

you can think of the speed of light like the universe's refresh rate. things with more energy/mass, additionally, "lag" and so events within those frames of reference appear appear to move very slowly from an outside frame of reference.

but things with less energy, appear to be moving super fucking fast.

this is just a way to conceptualize time dilation between 2 frames of reference.

but there is absolutely no "background" refresh happening, it's all localized.

Pikachuchupika posted...

I just watched this video on the time paradoxes

https://youtu.be/an0M-wcHw5A?si=DsF9hi6zat4cawKx

My mind is blown. Thanks for bringing it up Robot. I don't know what to think anymore. :/

yes! that is exactly the correct video!

so the problem is scientist are already building miniature "spooky" computers -- imagine 2 computers with entangled hard drives. Entangled particles effect each other instantaneously at ANY distance. Einstein thought it was a mistake in the calculations but it's very very real.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf4272

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf8999

We really have no explanation or even idea of what would start to happen if we could send messages to our past selves and also see and confirm that our past selves were receiving this information.

Unlike FTL travel, there is nothing really preventing this in physics--Einsteinian, quantum, standard model, nothing has any explanation.

FTL is already possible.

Faster than c however...

With anime, anything is possible!

Seriously, though. I don't want to go faster than light. My delicate skin would be ruined if I did.

FurryPhilosifer posted...

FTL is already possible.

Faster than c however...

this is untrue. no one believe this. the speed of light is c that's all c means. c is constant for all observers in all frames of reference.

also if he means something like wormholes, i already talked about those. building a dyson sphere around the Sun, and also around alpha centauri or something and using the energy to somehow warp space and time so that the distance is now only 1/4 a light year instead of 4 light years is more realistic.

but that's the thing--regardless of physics, ANY ftl is gonna need dyson-sphere levels of power to work.

to build a dyson sphere you need to be able to transmute matter--turn jupiter and saturn into something stronger than steel.

if you CAN do all of that, maybe the species tends not to need or want to travel to other stars.

bump

Robot2600 posted...

this is untrue. no one believe this. the speed of light is c that's all c means. c is constant for all observers in all frames of reference.

also if he means something like wormholes, i already talked about those. building a dyson sphere around the Sun, and also around alpha centauri or something and using the energy to somehow warp space and time so that the distance is now only 1/4 a light year instead of 4 light years is more realistic.

but that's the thing--regardless of physics, ANY ftl is gonna need dyson-sphere levels of power to work.

to build a dyson sphere you need to be able to transmute matter--turn jupiter and saturn into something stronger than steel.

if you CAN do all of that, maybe the species tends not to need or want to travel to other stars.

This is all good stuff and interesting but right at the end you say maybe there's no need to travel to other stars and it could be no need but that's like telling a billionaire they don't need another billion dollars.

Robot2600 posted...

the chemical reactions take fractions of a second to start. something like a laser pointer turns on faster.

in terms of the size of the universe, versus how slow light it, it's a huge fuck-up to be sure.

you can think of the speed of light like the universe's refresh rate. things with more energy/mass, additionally, "lag" and so events within those frames of reference appear appear to move very slowly from an outside frame of reference.

but things with less energy, appear to be moving super fucking fast.

this is just a way to conceptualize time dilation between 2 frames of reference.

but there is absolutely no "background" refresh happening, it's all localized.

yes! that is exactly the correct video!

so the problem is scientist are already building miniature "spooky" computers -- imagine 2 computers with entangled hard drives. Entangled particles effect each other instantaneously at ANY distance. Einstein thought it was a mistake in the calculations but it's very very real.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf4272

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf8999

We really have no explanation or even idea of what would start to happen if we could send messages to our past selves and also see and confirm that our past selves were receiving this information.

Unlike FTL travel, there is nothing really preventing this in physics--Einsteinian, quantum, standard model, nothing has any explanation.

The issue I'm having is if we can do that, then wouldn't we have already received messages from the future already?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


The Alcubierre drive isn't FTL unless all you're doing is measuring distance traveled over time. The actual speed at which you travel is still subluminal.

Even if a ship traveled at that speed, the human body wouldnt survive that kinda speed, the amount of force/g-forces generated from traveling at the speed of light would obliterate any human of any size or shape. Doesnt matter if youre at peak physical fitness or youre humongous, youll turn into jelly.

hell humans can barely even survive land vehicles traveling at 300 mph/aircraft traveling at Mach 3

Homeless_Waifu posted...

Even if a ship traveled at that speed, the human body wouldnt survive that kinda speed, the amount of force/g-forces generated from traveling at the speed of light would obliterate any human of any size or shape. Doesnt matter if youre at peak physical fitness or youre humongous, youll turn into jelly.

hell humans can barely even survive land vehicles traveling at 300 mph/aircraft traveling at Mach 3

The fuck you talking about? Velocity doesn't exert g forces, acceleration does.

Paragon21XX posted...

The fuck you talking about? Velocity doesn't exert g forces, acceleration does.

Exactly.

And the astronauts in the ISS are moving far faster than Mach 3, so that alone disproves the guy's claim.

Tom_Joad posted...

Exactly.

And the astronauts in the ISS are moving far faster than Mach 3, so that alone disproves the guy's claim.

yeah but thats in orbit, caught under earths gravity. The earth is rotating at a certain speed, yet its not gonna have a influence on the body

Paragon21XX posted...

The fuck you talking about? Velocity doesn't exert g forces, acceleration does.

Yeah but youre literally being moved by a object thats moving at the speed of light
no way the human body can come out in one piece moving at speed.

Faster Than Light Travel (tm) can also be possible via an apparatus such as a very large wire or pipeline through space

Homeless_Waifu posted...

Yeah but youre literally being moved by a object thats moving at the speed of light
no way the human body can come out in one piece moving at speed.

The net force inflicted on your body is equal mass x acceleration. Literally high school physics. If you're already moving at 99.99999999999999999999% the speed of light, being pushed by something that is going 100% the speed of light imparts very little force on you. It won't make a difference.

Tyranthraxus posted...

The net force inflicted on your body is equal mass x acceleration. Literally high school physics. If you're already moving at 99.99999999999999999999% the speed of light, being pushed by something that is going 100% the speed of light imparts very little force on you. It won't make a difference.

See, my main issue with this is that there has to be some form of force afflicting you, even at a molecular level. One simply cannot move from point a to point b without some sort of influence surrounding it? What about objects that happen to be infront you during your speed of light travel? Do you fuse with the object, obliterate the object, pass through it like it like thin air?

what about the physics that are applied when the object slows down? Is it a slow and steady gradual loss of speed? An instantaneous stop?

just so many variables come into play traveling at the speed of light IMO, something engineers may never be able to realistically create mode of transportation that can carry humans at light speed

Homeless_Waifu posted...

See, my main issue with this is that there has to be some form of force afflicting you, even at a molecular level. One simply cannot move from point a to point b without some sort of influence surrounding it? What about objects that happen to be infront you during your speed of light travel? Do you fuse with the object, obliterate the object, pass through it like it like thin air?

Assuming you're in an encapsulated environment all that shit is actually moving at the same speed as you.

Do you realize right now you're going like ~130,000 miles per hour?