A question about wormholes and their typical representation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the representation of wormholes in theoretical physics, particularly focusing on their visual depictions and implications for spacetime. Participants explore the differences in illustrations, the concept of wormholes as shortcuts through spacetime, and the philosophical implications of their existence and representation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions why wormholes are typically depicted in certain ways and whether different representations convey the same concept.
  • Another participant suggests that the visual representation of wormholes emphasizes their ability to shorten spacetime, contrasting it with representations that may imply a longer path.
  • A participant asserts that topologically, different representations of wormholes can be equivalent, referencing a concept from topology.
  • One participant provides a visualization analogy involving folding paper to illustrate how wormholes might connect two points in spacetime, while also noting that the depiction of travel through a wormhole is not scientifically supported.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of wormhole representations and their philosophical interpretations. There is no consensus on the best way to visualize or understand wormholes, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the accuracy and implications of these representations.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of consensus on the scientific validity of certain visualizations and the philosophical interpretations of spacetime and wormholes. The discussion also highlights the dependence on definitions and assumptions regarding the nature of spacetime and wormholes.

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Why the wormholes are typically represented as follows:

worm-hole-15885270.jpg
instead:

Wormhole-lr.jpg


Is the same? in that case why there are two type of draws?

Another question, why the wormhole has length? or at least that seems in the draws and in the movies like interstellar or contact.
 
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It is to emphasize the aspect of these theoretical beasts of being able to "short-cut" spacetime. The first pic shows that and the second not only does not, it in fact makes it look as though the wormhole path is LONGER than a traditional path between the same two points.
 
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The best logical "visualization" I have ever heard is taking a piece of paper, and mark 2 dots on it... the paper flat on the table represents flat spacetime and 2 distinct points with a distance between points in 3D space at 1 time. Now fold it in half so the 2 dots touch is a wormhole (laymen's terms infinite distance tends to 1) or curl it in a tube as a physicist might to align 2 inertial reference frames of space in a singularity in spacetime. It doesn't matter philosophically if you think space doesn't exist between the points or energy doesn't "exist" on the trip through space, as long as you realize the twisty rollercoaster ride through a tube from A to B is not predicted, hinted or in any way I know of supported by science.
 

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