How many nuclear weapons are needed to make a wormhole?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the theoretical energy requirements for creating a wormhole, specifically in relation to nuclear weapons and mass-energy conversion. Participants explore concepts of exotic matter, spacetime manipulation, and the implications of existing theoretical frameworks.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions how much energy, in terms of nuclear weapons or mass-energy conversion, is needed to create a wormhole.
  • Another participant asserts that exotic matter, rather than energy, is required to create a wormhole, as it needs negative energy density.
  • A different viewpoint suggests that until a wormhole is demonstrated, the exact energy requirements remain unknown.
  • Reference is made to a theoretical framework by Maldacena and Susskind, which involves entangled particles and black holes to conceptualize wormholes.
  • Some participants discuss the distinction between traversable and non-traversable wormholes, with one expressing uncertainty about non-traversable types.
  • One participant expresses a desire to calculate the energy required to bend spacetime for creating an Einstein-Rosen bridge, seeking clarification on their understanding.
  • Concerns are raised about the appropriateness of the thread's technical level, with suggestions it may belong in a different forum.
  • Another participant argues that the Einstein-Rosen bridge is an idealized mathematical model that cannot be realized in the real universe, emphasizing the absence of stress-energy in such a scenario.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of wormholes, the role of exotic matter versus energy, and the feasibility of creating such structures. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing perspectives present.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference complex theoretical concepts, including the Einstein Field Equations and the implications of energy release on spacetime geometry, without reaching consensus on the specifics of energy requirements or the nature of wormholes.

Dave Gungan
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TL;DR
I was wondering how much energy is needed to make a wormhole in terms of either nuclear weapons, or maybe annihilation of matter or/and antimatter via e=mc^2.
Hi guys!

After many years of lurking quietly I finally have a question that I'd like to know, please.

I'd like to know how much energy is needed to make a wormhole in terms of our current nuclear weapons, or how much mass is needed to turn into pure energy, maybe via antimatter annihilation with e=mc^2. Or do I not understand how they're made at all?

I imagine in terms of nukes it would take trillions and trillions? or mass annihilation on the scale of a whole galaxy turned into energy.

(FYI my education is almost completed a degee in physics/maths/electronics about 30 years ago, and read about the subjects for years ever since. Also I'm dyslexic so sorry for related typos, misreading and spelling. But weirdly I make up for it in these subjects so I'd not change a thing.)

Lastly, since this is my 1st and maybe only post, can I thank people like the amazing PeterD, phinds, Ibix, Bandersnatch, Orodruin, kimbyd, PeroK, robphy, Nugatory, Dale, Orodruin, vanhees71, and many more. You guys are so great to read your post, and I feel so small and dumb when reading your replies. Thanks so much for your input here.

Cheers in advance guys!

/Dave
 
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It is not energy that is needed, it is exotic matter. To build a wormhole you need a form of matter that has a negative energy density. Such matter has never been found, and cannot be generated simply by using a bunch of nukes.
 
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Once the first one is completed and shown to operate, we will have a figure to work with.

But until then, nobody knows.
 
The closest thing to a recipe for a wormhole might be found in Maldacena et al, section 8. Following the recipe of Maldacena and Susskind's ER=EPR paper, you make a wormhole by getting many EPR pairs (pairs of entangled particles), then separating the members of each pair into two groups and letting them form into black holes. The wormhole is then the entangled black holes... For the traversable wormholes in Maldacena et al, you need to entangle near-extremal black holes, with very high charge and spin relative to their mass. Unfortunately, it takes longer to pass through these wormholes, than it does to just travel through space the normal way (something which I think was foreseen in Greg Egan's novel Diaspora).
 
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Dale said:
It is not energy that is needed, it is exotic matter.
Thank you, then I assume I'm wrong in my long belief that exotic matter was more about making stable traversable wormholes, where as I more meant the energy required to, what I thought of as to, warp spcetime enough to create 2 points in space which create an instantanious but unstable "wormhole". I'm not meaning star trekky type stuff here btw.
 
Dave Gungan said:
assume I'm wrong in my long belief that exotic matter was more about making stable traversable wormholes
No, you are not wrong. I thought that is what you were asking about.

Regarding non-traversable wormholes, I don’t know about that. I haven’t looked into them. Maybe one of the other regulars will know
 
Dale said:
It is not energy that is needed, it is exotic matter. To build a wormhole you need a form of matter that has a negative energy density. Such matter has never been found, and cannot be generated simply by using a bunch of nukes.
Thank you this is now getting to exactly what I really imagined for this situation...

Bob and Alice are separated by a set distance in space, which doesn't really matter for now. They synchronously release a large amount of energy. WIll this have the potential to create, what I'll now call, an Einstein–Rosen bridge, rather than "wormhole", which sounds too sci-fi-ish.

Reworded Question thanks to Dale's valuable input as always, bless him.

Please can I have help calculating the energy required to bend spacetime enough for Alice and Bob (separated by a distance), to create a classic Einstein–Rosen bridge, or very close to it.

Or is my understanding so far, incorrect please?

Note: It might be handy to know that I'm half way through the utterly amazing Taylor and Wheeler, which made me realize I still don't know this subject as well as I want to.
 
mitchell porter said:
The closest thing to a recipe...
Thank you for the very interesting news related to what I asked. Thats a fascinating read as an alternative to what I was thinking.

I so love Susskind and his Stanford Lecture series. I rewatch them over and over in bed to hope I digest everything the genuis says. And the man rocks those BB shorts so well!
 
My working so far...

(I'll update this single post as I go, if I may please)

Edit #1: I guess I need some of Maxwells stuff to find how energy can bend spacetime? Which was then leads to the EFE, which I'll assume are above me, although I'd like to try and follow this through.
 
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Dave Gungan said:
I guess I need some of Maxwells stuff

What? Maxwell stuff? Why is the thread in the technical forums (even at the "B" level)? Should it be moved to the SciFi forum maybe? Thread is closed temporarily for Moderation...
 
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Dave Gungan said:
Bob and Alice are separated by a set distance in space, which doesn't really matter for now. They synchronously release a large amount of energy. WIll this have the potential to create, what I'll now call, an Einstein–Rosen bridge
No. The Einstein-Rosen bridge is only present in a maximally extended black hole spacetime, where the layman's translation of "maximally extended" is "can never actually happen because it's only an idealized mathematical model, not something that could ever actually be made in the real universe". The problem is that the maximally extended black hole spacetime is literally vacuum everywhere--there is no stress-energy present at all, anywhere, for all time, in the entire spacetime geometry. So there's no way to make such a geometry. Obviously you can't make it by releasing a bunch of energy since that obviously means you have stress-energy present, which "breaks" the whole concept.

(Note that, since you commented about the Einstein Field Equation, that the above is what the Einstein Field Equation says.)
 
  • #12
And with my latest response, the OP question has been answered and the thread can remain closed.
 

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