String Theory: Introduction

In the world of physics, there are always contests and divisions of thought, factions of people supporting different theories of why the universe is the way it is. Physics is divided into two different realms the macroscopic (large) world for things like gravity and then the quantum world (very small) where Quantum-chrono-dynamics (QCD) and Quantum gravity exist. With string theory, devised by Michael Duff, Michael Green and Brian Green et al, tried to unify these two worlds, the world of the macroscopic and quantum world to create a “theory of everything”, which works as a self sustained and self sustained mathematical model, which can allow for the description of the 12 fundamental forces and the different forms of matter.

String theory when first devised, was lead with some severe controversy. Scientists would not touch the subject let alone research it, due to the major consensus boycotting the research. People’s jobs and careers were on the line, chancing such an endeavor. But in the last 10 years, Sting theory has taken a big turn, making the topic much more serious and for respected academics to start brain storming about it.

 Fig.1 A Graphical representation of a vibrating string

In the Universe scientists have discovered that it is made up of two groups or very small important (Fundamental) particles, these are called the boson and fermions. With bosons, that are carriers of the fundamental forces, pertaining to, Strong/Weak nuclear forces, E.M Forces (Electromagnetic) and Gravity(the weaker of the 4 forces).  With fermions they are actually the matter that you can see such as atoms, molecules in all its configurations.

The standard model, which has been herald as the most stable and accurate scientific theory thought of, allowing for the explanation of the forces except for the force of gravity. As mentioned in previous post the inside of a black hole the mathematics breaks down in the singularity. This is simply because the standard model cannot explain the math and physics behind the mechanics of a singularities from a gravitational point of view. This also applied to the big bang theory as well.

A word that some people might of heard from time to time, and probably left them confused is the word super symmetry, this an important part of string theory. This is need for the string theory to actually work, where the concept that matter (particles) have a corresponding force.

More of will be covered in the next post. As this will a multiple post topic

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Warp Drive: The Practical Approach

Continuing from the previous topic on Warp Theory, is the solution, a way around solving the energy requirements for Warp travel. What would be required for this drive to work would be the ship would have to be football (American Football) or Rugby shaped ball, with a peripheral ring that would go around the ball. Like the gas and ice ring around Saturn. But this ring would be made of advanced exotic matter, allowing it to contract space and time in front of the ship and expand it behind it. The ship itself would be protected existing in flat space time. Not being warped essentially.

One thing I didn’t mention earlier was that space time itself is not governed by the speed of light; I know that sounds weird, especially after I have mentioned that the speed of light is the cosmological constant of the universe. But the fabric of space and time itself is not prone to light speed restrictions.

With this technique, the warp drive would be able to “by pass” the speed limit allowing the ship to travel much faster (10X as much) to other systems. Making space travel a day or two to travel to other planets.  Even sooner, if going to nearer planets. It was calculated by the Dr White, a scientist that is currently revising Warp drive theory. Suggesting that if the flat ring that was surrounding the ship was replaced by a donut shaped ring instead, that the ships Warp drive could be powered by a mass that of the Voyager 1 (incidentally, the same the probe that is traversing the deep space of stellar space, past the solar system). This drastically reduces the energy requirements past a factor of a billion, making energy retainment much more plausible for warp drives to actually be possible. As mentioned the previous post, a mass of the size of Jupiter would of been needed beforehand

 

 Fig.1 A Graphical representation of Warp Travel

Credit:Discovery.com

Another thought was made relating to oscillating drives, meaning that if the warp drive is able to be oscillated over a period of time then the energy that would be required would actually be reduced even more.

Now at this stage, you are thinking, well this is all well and good, but is even going to happen? The statement from Dr White is “The findings I presented today change it from impractical to plausible and worth further investigation,” In this simple statement, something that seemed silly and fantastical has now taken another step in to making it reality. Currently White and his team are working on a mini warp named the White-Juday Warp Field Interferometer at a laboratory, at the Johnson Space centre, trying to work out the intricate details into making something like this a real world engine. Perhaps forever changing the way we live in the world and drop kicking us thousands of years into the future.

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