![]() 3: Graphical Presentational of Space-Time Warping Alcubierre Drive If the marble doesn’t revolve around the football it will fall into it.įig. This could be understood by placing a football on a stretched cloth and making a small marble go around the football. ![]() Gravity is one such property which causes a stretch in the fabric of space-time which explains why smaller physical bodies revolve around larger bodies in space like the earth goes around the sun because the sun, being more massive, stretches the space-time fabric to a greater extent than the earth which makes the earth go around the sun to avoid falling into it. The space-time is referred to as the space-time fabric due to its elastic nature, meaning that it can be stretched by certain physical phenomena. Every single thing that has happened, is happening and will happen is located along the space-time continuum consisting of its spatial location located along a strand of the past-future line. The three dimensions of space and one dimension of time (past, present and future dimension) therefore construct a four dimensional space-time model. It is a continuum (homogenous throughout the universe) and is required to better understand many important physical properties which happen in the universe such as gravity. The three dimensional space and time is theorized to be an interwoven mathematical model called Space-Time. ![]() 2: Figure Showing Space-Time Continuum with Gravitational Stretching Effect Therefore making the speed of light the true constant of the universe as opposed to the length of time being constant (making it possible for time travel).įig. This could be understood by the famous equation of Einstein (which he formulated from this idea), E=mc 2, which actually means that mass is just energy which has been compressed by a large value (the magnitude of square of the light speed) and therefore meaning that mass cannot cross the light speed barrier since it cannot go faster than itself (Since Mass is Energy). Instead, time lengthens to slow down a body approaching light speed. This led him to a breakthrough figuring out that the speed of light is the true constant of the universe and cannot be broken by any mass containing body. If he is travelling at the speed of light, the light leaving his face wouldn’t have time to cover the additional distance between him and the mirror and back to his eyes making him invisible to the mirror. He questioned whether a person holding a mirror at arm’s length and is travelling on a ship moving at light speed, could see his own reflection. Albert Einstein posed a thought experiment which led to him postulating the theory of general and special relativity. The speed of light is around 300,000 km/sec and is the speed at which light (which is an electromagnetic wave) travels through vacuum. The Speed of Light and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity But, is the light speed barrier breakable? If not, then why? To accomplish either one or all of these tasks we would require a means of transportation which travel at a speed which would be a significant fraction of the speed of light or even more for greater distances. The human species might have originated on earth but to ensure the survival of our race we may have to venture out search the stars for a new home or to comb the universe to find other life forms or to gain a deeper understanding on the origins and the dynamics of the universe. The closest star to our solar system is the Proxima Centauri System which is about 4.2 light years away which would essentially take the fastest machine ever built (The Voyager Satellite) about 76,000 years which is not an inspiring number given that the average life expectancy of a human being is around 60 to 70 years (as of now). Humans, on the other hand have not gone further than the moon (360,000 km away from earth) and are soon planning a trip to mars. But, how much have we explored? The furthest distance reached by a machine, the voyager I, is the outskirts of our solar which is a few light hours from earth which it took 35 years to sail in empty space going at an astonishing speed of 1100 Km/sec. ![]() Our theoretical description of space is the entire observable universe which extends to 13.8 Billion Lightyears (because the universe is 13.8 Billion Years old) through whichever direction we look at it (and is the same from any point of observation in the universe, since the universe is infinite). 1: Image Showing the Alcubierre Warp Drive ![]()
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