A significant breakthrough in Quantum Mechanics and Astrophysics has been announced by a scientific team, detailing the inaugural framework for an engine capable of generating the much-discussed “vortex speed.”
The concept of spacecraft traveling at speeds surpassing the speed of light, first introduced in the iconic series “Star Trek,” envisions a future where humanity’s vessels explore the Milky Way. A recent paper in the journal Classical and Quantum Gravity suggests methods to achieve “vortex velocity.”
This study changes the debate about vortex velocity
“By demonstrating a novel model, we have proven that vortex velocity is not just science fiction,” states Jared Fuchs from the University of Alabama and the Applied Physics research group, the lead researcher of the team.
The team asserts they have devised a blend of conventional and groundbreaking gravitational methods that could theoretically result in an engine capable of propelling a spacecraft to near-light speeds, forming a ‘vortex bubble’ that serves as a portal for rapid traversal through the immense expanse of space.
“Humanity may still be a long way from interstellar travel, but this research is creating a new era of possibilities. We continue to make steady progress as humanity enters the era of vortex speed,” said Gianni Martir, CEO of Applied Physics.
How does “vortex velocity” work in theory?
While the speed of light has long been deemed the ultimate speed limit, Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed in 1994 that it might be possible to surpass this limit without violating Einstein’s theories.
Alcubierre’s theory hinges on manipulating the expansion and contraction of space itself.
According to this theory, a spacecraft wouldn’t actually travel faster than light within its local region of space. Instead, it could theoretically employ a propulsion mechanism that alters space-time, generating a bubble that expands space on one side and contracts it on the other, allowing for superluminal travel.
“In this way, the spacecraft will move away from Earth and move towards a distant star thanks to space-time itself,” Alcubiere said.
NASA has been diligently working to develop an engine capable of true space exploration, as even traveling at the speed of light would not allow humanity to venture far.
Consider the Alpha Centauri solar system, which is 4,367 light-years from Earth. A spacecraft traveling at the speed of light would still require 4,367 years to reach it. Thus, a more “radical” speed, termed “vortex speed,” is necessary.
It’s important to note that the speed of light, often represented as ‘c’ in equations, is the rate at which light travels in a vacuum or other mediums. In a vacuum, the speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second according to the International System of Units, which is roughly 300,000 kilometers per second, or scientifically expressed as (3 \times 10^8) m/s.
