Idea for light speed or possibly faster than light speed travel?

In summary, a potential method for faster than light travel was proposed involving creating and destroying black holes in front of a vessel using anti-matter particles and "transporter" technology. However, this idea may not be feasible due to the difficulty of producing and controlling large quantities of anti-matter. Additionally, quantum teleportation is not a viable option for transporting matter. Anti-matter does exist, but it is not capable of destroying a black hole. The only known method for a black hole to be destroyed is through the passage of time.
  • #1
Redman0123
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So the other day while I was folding up some laundry I had this idea pop into my head. Now I'm not an expert or anything and I dropped out of physics in high school, but I do think quantum physics are interesting like most people. I figure this would probably be the best place to post this due to the nature of black holes. So this is really more of "hey is this possible in theory?" kind of thread.

So here is my idea:

A vessel of some sort could travel at potentially faster than light speeds by persistantly creating and destroying a black hole infront of the said vessel. This would use anti-matter particles to destroy the black hole, and "transporter" technology to allocate dense mass in the space infront of the craft. By constantly creating and destroying black holes infront of the vessel, would it not be possible to constantly accelerate into the black hole, and then destroy it and make a new one further away? This process would have to be repeated many many times in a second, and the vessel would be close to the point of mass, or in otherwords, inside the black hole. This brings up all sorts of questions about time travel too but I am not going to touch on that. :P

My idea comes from the knowledge that black holes are incredibly dense, small peices of mass that have so much gravity it actually bends and "sucks in" light and space time. Now I have two questions that are related to my idea: Is it true we can transport matter through energy to a limited degree? I remember something about someone transporting an apple or a vegetable through this method, and it came out on the other end a pile of mush. Also, I know doctors can use lasers to move entire cells around in a petre dish.

Anti-matter has been proven to exist now hasn't it? Of course it's a whole mystery in itself on how to actually store and create large amounts of it, but I think that's worthy of its own topic. Also, I assume anti-matter would be able to efficiently destroy a black hole. Would it be able to in theory? What else could?
 
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  • #2
Redman0123 said:
So here is my idea:

A vessel of some sort could travel at potentially faster than light speeds by persistantly creating and destroying a black hole infront of the said vessel. This would use anti-matter particles to destroy the black hole, and "transporter" technology to allocate dense mass in the space infront of the craft.
Anti-matter would increase the mass of the black hole, not distroy it. I don't see any way that quantum teleportation could be useful here, if that's what you meant. There is however a similar and simpler idea called the Alcubierre warp drive. Unfortunately it requires that we are able to produce large quanties and control a type of matter that has never been detected. Even if such matter exists, it would almost certainly be absurdly difficult to produce it and control it, and even if we could, it would be disappointing. Nothing at all like Star Trek.

Redman0123 said:
Is it true we can transport matter through energy to a limited degree? I remember something about someone transporting an apple or a vegetable through this method, and it came out on the other end a pile of mush.
No. What we can do is to transport the quantum state of a single photon. What that process does is essentially to change the polarization of a photon that's already at the "destination" to what was previously the polarization state of a photon at the point of "departure".

Redman0123 said:
Anti-matter has been proven to exist now hasn't it?
Yes, in 1932. (That's when the positron was discovered).

Redman0123 said:
Also, I assume anti-matter would be able to efficiently destroy a black hole. Would it be able to in theory? What else could?
As I said above, it can't. I don't think anything can, except time. Just wait much longer than the current age of the universe, and it will destroy itself by emitting Hawking radiation until it's gone (or whatever happens when only a really tiny piece is left...no one really knows).
 
  • #3


First of all, I want to commend you for your creativity and interest in quantum physics. It's always exciting to see people exploring new ideas and pushing the boundaries of what we know.

However, I have to mention that your idea for faster-than-light travel through creating and destroying black holes is not feasible in theory. While black holes do have incredibly strong gravitational pull, they are also incredibly small in size. Creating and destroying them in front of a vessel would require immense amounts of energy and would not result in a significant acceleration.

Additionally, the concept of using anti-matter to destroy black holes is not possible. Anti-matter and normal matter annihilate each other upon contact, releasing a large amount of energy. This would not result in the destruction of a black hole, but rather create an even larger one.

As for the possibility of transporting matter through energy, it is true that scientists have been able to transport small particles in this way. However, the process is highly complex and not currently feasible for transporting larger objects, let alone a spacecraft.

In terms of anti-matter, it does exist and has been created in small amounts in laboratory settings. However, as you mentioned, the challenge lies in storing and creating large amounts of it. And even if we were able to do so, it would not be a viable solution for destroying black holes.

Overall, while your idea is interesting, it is not scientifically sound. The concept of faster-than-light travel is currently not possible with our current understanding of physics. However, that doesn't mean it will never be possible. Scientists are constantly researching and exploring new ideas and technologies, so who knows what the future may hold. Keep on thinking and exploring new ideas, but also remember to ground them in scientific principles and theories.
 

What is the current understanding of light speed travel?

The current understanding of light speed travel is based on Einstein's theory of relativity, which states that the speed of light is the maximum speed at which all matter and information can travel. This means that it is not possible for anything to travel faster than the speed of light.

Why is there interest in faster-than-light travel?

Faster-than-light travel is of interest to scientists and the general public because it would allow us to explore and potentially colonize other planets and galaxies at a much faster rate. It would also challenge our current understanding of physics and open up new possibilities for space exploration.

Are there any theories or proposals for faster-than-light travel?

Yes, there are several theories and proposals for faster-than-light travel, but none have been proven to be feasible at this time. Some ideas include using wormholes, warp drives, and manipulating space-time. However, these concepts are still in the theoretical stage and require significant advancements in technology to be possible.

What are the potential consequences of faster-than-light travel?

One potential consequence of faster-than-light travel is the creation of paradoxes, as it would violate the principles of causality. It could also have significant impacts on the fabric of space-time and our understanding of the universe. Additionally, the energy and technology required for such travel would be immense and could have environmental and ethical implications.

Is it possible for humans to achieve faster-than-light travel in the future?

It is currently unknown if humans will ever be able to achieve faster-than-light travel. While there are theories and proposals, there are also many challenges and limitations that must be overcome. It will require significant advancements in technology, as well as a deeper understanding of the laws of physics. However, with continued research and exploration, it is possible that one day we may find a way to travel faster than the speed of light.

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