18. What if NASA Could Figure Out the Math of a Workable Warp Drive?

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/11/what-if-nasa-could-figure-out-the-math-of-a-workable-warp-drive/265655/

Rebecca J. Rosen, editor at The Atlantic, reports that astronomers have detected an Earth-sized planet orbiting the star, Alpha Centauri B, which may suggest that there is a small possibility of the discovery of another planet like Earth if scientists can manage to make a spacecraft move in one-tenth the speed of light. The Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to Earth, but "it's still four light years away." This means that it would take "700 centuries" to reach Alpha Centauri with the speed of Voyager 1 which is "still in our solar system." Rosen quotes MIT astronomer Sara Seager, who claims that "There are a lot of people who think we have the capabilities to get to a tenth of the speed of light. [...] If we could achieve that speed, then we could get to Alpha Centauri in just over 40 years." She also affirms that if it is possible, there will be people willing to volunteer for the journey. Rosen introduces an alternative, referring to NASA physicist Harold White, who says the trip will only take two weeks if we can warp the space-time to travel. White is inspired by physicist Miguel Alcubierre's idea of the warp drive which will take "advantage of a cosmological code that allows for the expansion and contraction of space-time, and could allow for hyper-fast travel between interstellar destinations." The problem with this, Rosen stats, is that it takes the amount of energy "equal to the mass-energy of Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system. So that's not going to work." However, White had come up with a new idea for the warp drive, that "if you made the thickness of the negative vacuum energy ring larger--like shifting from a belt shape to a donut shape--and oscilate the warp bubble, you can greatly reduce the energy required--perhaps making the idea plausible."

Rosen's audience must be able to understand the basic knowledge about astronomy, like the solar system and interstellar travel, but her simple explanations allow for most of the general public to comprehend the material. Rosen's purpose of introducing this issue is to inform and inspire the readers about the excitement and hope in a possibility of being able to find another planet like Earth. Even if the accomplishment of such technology seems distant, she states, "the idea that physicists at NASA are even toying with it gives me hope that interstellar travel could one day be possible, even if this isn't how it is ultimately accomplished."