Little did Capt. James T. Kirk’s creators know that traveling at warp speed may one day make the leap from a far-fetched “Star Trek” fantasy to world-changing reality.

Two Baylor University physicists have taken parts of two scientific theories and formed a theory they say could be the basis for one day traveling at the speed of light, or faster.

Baylor physics professor Gerald Cleaver and postdoctoral student Richard Obousy say their theory involves manipulating the space-time dimensions around a spacecraft and breaks no laws of physics.

Ask Cleaver to describe the theory to you, and his explanation is littered with terms like “cosmological constant,” “dark energy” and “string theory/m-theory.” It’s the kind of stuff that could make even the brightest Ph.D.’s head spin.

The long and short of it, though, is that warp speed could conceivably be achieved by reducing the cosmological constant, or space-time dimension, in front of a spacecraft to a negative value, while increasing the cosmological constant behind the spacecraft, creating a bubble that would travel faster than light.

Cleaver and Obousy use elements of the Alcubierre drive, an idea developed in 1994 by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre that explores stretching space in a wave, so space in front of a spacecraft would shrink and the space behind it would expand, pushing the craft forward in a “warp bubble.” They also use parts of string theory/m-theory, which suggests there are 11 dimensions, including height, width, length and time. Cleaver and Obousy think the 11th dimension could help move a spacecraft at warp speed or beyond.

Another concept that might be difficult for some to grasp is the spacecraft itself would not travel at warp speed.

“Objects cannot travel faster than light, but space itself can,” Cleaver said. “So, what you’re doing is allowing the space that you’re in to travel faster than the speed of light, relative to the space in front and back, so there is no violation of Einstein’s (theory of) general relativity.”

One hurdle to be cleared before the theory is realized is the staggering amount of energy needed to start the process. A cube-shaped ship, 10 meters on each side, would have to have energy equal to the mass of the solar system’s largest planet, Cleaver said.

“So, to get it going, basically, that would be equivalent to converting the entire planet of Jupiter into energy.”

Also, Cleaver said a group of physicists has argued that people inside a ship traveling at warp speed would be exposed to lethal levels of photon or particle radiation, unless there was some kind of shielding.

Endless possibilities

Hurdles aside, though, the possibilities that the ability to travel at warp speed would unveil are endless, Cleaver said.

“(It) would place the entire galaxy in our backyard and other galaxies just a few blocks away,” he said.

Cleaver added, “Ultimately, viable warp drive would likely result in new understandings of the structure of society, nations, economies and government. The universe might become the new Wild West, a theme also envisioned in many sci-fi novels and movies. I can’t think of any other discovery that would alter human civilization, or humanity as a whole, more than viable warp drive.”

As enticing as the idea might be, it remains just that at this point: an idea. NASA’s Marc Millis, of the Glenn Research Center, who worked on NASA’s Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project, wrote on the NASA Web site: “ ‘Warp Drives,’ ‘Hyperspace Drives’ or any other term for faster-than-light travel is at the level of speculation, with some facets edging into the realm of science. We are at the point where we know what we do know and know what we don’t, but do not know for sure if faster-than-light travel is possible.”

Still far, far away

Though some scientists have made predictions on when warp speed might become reality, they are mere guesses, Cleaver says.

“I wouldn’t try to make any prediction at all,” he said. “Anybody making those predictions is probably a ‘Star Trek’ fan.”

Regardless of when or if science and technology catches up with the idea, Cleaver and Obousy’s work is being taken seriously.

A Google search on warp speed research yields numerous articles citing the pair’s work. ABC-TV has aired an interview with the two. Fox News’ Web site has featured them.

Cleaver is humble about his work and says he and Obousy are standing on the shoulders of scientific giants that came before them, adding “we were basically the two that put these two ideas together.”

twoods@wacotrib.com

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