Albert Einstein may have proven faster-than-light travel to be impossible, but if I were grading his papers I'd simply say, "Try harder." The rules of physics certainly haven't stopped sci-fi creators from inventing plausible-sounding (or infinitely improbable) ways to travel to the stars. Here, then, are the 10 most awesome systems of faster-than-light travel in sci-fi.
Found in: Star Trek
Warp drive is surely the most famous way to get your butt to a distant star. But, as with anything related to Star Trek, there's not a simple explanation. The basic story is that if you combine matter and antimatter fused with some dilithium, you can create a subspace bubble that exists outside the normal fabric of space–time. With warp plasma spewing out of a ship's nacelles you can now propel yourself faster than light to varying degrees (the famous "warp factor" you'll often hear Starfleet captains shouting about).
Maintaining a warp drive ain't easy, which is why every iteration of Star Trek had an (awesome) chief engineer and a set with a big blue glowy thing. For that reason alone it is at the top of the list.
Plausibility Factor: We're gonna give this one an 8 and direct you to the work of Miguel Alcubierre. In 1994 he presented a paper on the "Alcubierre Drive" that presents concepts very similar to a warp bubble.
Warp drive is surely the most famous way to get your butt to a distant star. But, as with anything related to Star Trek, there's not a simple explanation. The basic story is that if you combine matter and antimatter fused with some dilithium, you can create a subspace bubble that exists outside the normal fabric of space–time. With warp plasma spewing out of a ship's nacelles you can now propel yourself faster than light to varying degrees (the famous "warp factor" you'll often hear Starfleet captains shouting about).
Maintaining a warp drive ain't easy, which is why every iteration of Star Trek had an (awesome) chief engineer and a set with a big blue glowy thing. For that reason alone it is at the top of the list.
Plausibility Factor: We're gonna give this one an 8 and direct you to the work of Miguel Alcubierre. In 1994 he presented a paper on the "Alcubierre Drive" that presents concepts very similar to a warp bubble.
Found in: Star Wars
There is no clearer distinction between the Stars (Trek and Wars) than in the way they present technology. Star Trek will beat you into submission with its technobabble until you finally relent and decide that this all must make sense. Team Lucas, on the other hand, will marvel you with whiz-bang wonderment until you accept that this galaxy far, far away runs on magic.
The Millennium Falcon and other ships travel across enormous distances using hyperdrive, which is a system maintained—if you follow Chewbacca's model—by banging on the ship's interior plating until, finally, you go fast. If one looks under the hood (i.e., reads some of the expanded universe books), you'll learn that hyperdrive technology involves collecting gamma radiation, fusing it in a hyperdrive motivator, and maintaining a stable corridor of space with a null quantum field generator. It also makes all the white stars go streaky—a total freakout for 1977.
Plausibility Factor: An 8 also, for two reasons. One, it is important to maintain detente between the Star Trek and Star Wars camps. Two, we'd like to point to the work of Mark G. Millis, a NASA alum and founder of the Tau Zero Foundation who has written extensively on the possibility of "forms of propulsion where the fundamental properties of matter and spacetime are used to create propulsive forces anywhere in space without having to carry and expel a reaction mass."
There is no clearer distinction between the Stars (Trek and Wars) than in the way they present technology. Star Trek will beat you into submission with its technobabble until you finally relent and decide that this all must make sense. Team Lucas, on the other hand, will marvel you with whiz-bang wonderment until you accept that this galaxy far, far away runs on magic.
The Millennium Falcon and other ships travel across enormous distances using hyperdrive, which is a system maintained—if you follow Chewbacca's model—by banging on the ship's interior plating until, finally, you go fast. If one looks under the hood (i.e., reads some of the expanded universe books), you'll learn that hyperdrive technology involves collecting gamma radiation, fusing it in a hyperdrive motivator, and maintaining a stable corridor of space with a null quantum field generator. It also makes all the white stars go streaky—a total freakout for 1977.
Plausibility Factor: An 8 also, for two reasons. One, it is important to maintain detente between the Star Trek and Star Wars camps. Two, we'd like to point to the work of Mark G. Millis, a NASA alum and founder of the Tau Zero Foundation who has written extensively on the possibility of "forms of propulsion where the fundamental properties of matter and spacetime are used to create propulsive forces anywhere in space without having to carry and expel a reaction mass."
Found in: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
It's what's beating within Zaphod Beeblebrox's commandeered ship Heart of Gold. The Infinite Improbability Drive is one of the more purely mathematical systems of faster-than-light travel, making quantum calculations determining the least likely point in space and then suddenly sending you there. Hitchhiker's author Douglas Adams is a little vague as to whether this is a propulsion or teleportation system, but, then again, quantum mechanics is a little vague, too. (In the radio and TV version it looked like a running shoe.)
Adams said he came up with the infinite improbability drive after he'd written himself into a corner. Any rescue he devised seemed improbable, so he therefore decided to pick the most improbable.
Plausibility Factor: N/A. You really want to debate the plausibility of something called the Infinite Improbability Drive? Adams's outrageous creation doesn't deserve to be confined to a 1 to 10 scale.
It's what's beating within Zaphod Beeblebrox's commandeered ship Heart of Gold. The Infinite Improbability Drive is one of the more purely mathematical systems of faster-than-light travel, making quantum calculations determining the least likely point in space and then suddenly sending you there. Hitchhiker's author Douglas Adams is a little vague as to whether this is a propulsion or teleportation system, but, then again, quantum mechanics is a little vague, too. (In the radio and TV version it looked like a running shoe.)
Adams said he came up with the infinite improbability drive after he'd written himself into a corner. Any rescue he devised seemed improbable, so he therefore decided to pick the most improbable.
Plausibility Factor: N/A. You really want to debate the plausibility of something called the Infinite Improbability Drive? Adams's outrageous creation doesn't deserve to be confined to a 1 to 10 scale.
Found in: Battlestar Galactica (new continuity)
While the mechanics of Battlestar's FTL "jumps" are left somewhat to the imagination, its tactile nature is a perfect example of why BSG is so awesome. Deriving its power from rare tylium ore, the FTL drive can essentially pick you up and plop you down at any point in space, provided you have advanced tracking facilities and the time to plot your course. Indeed, the Cylons—being machines—had better computers and therefore could get the jump, if you will, on the Colonials. In cases of extreme emergency, one could make a "blind jump"—basically slamming the Go button, asteroids and space debris be damned—but you need to be as gutsy as Michelle Forbes's Admiral Cain to do such a thing.
Most of the time a jump is preceded by a "spooling-up," in which the camera angle gets all funky and distorted, oftentimes causing noobs to get sick. Also, using the FTL too much can give your ship metal fatigue.
Plausibility Factor: The science seems suspect, but major points for adding in all the difficulty of upkeep. Let's give it a 5.
While the mechanics of Battlestar's FTL "jumps" are left somewhat to the imagination, its tactile nature is a perfect example of why BSG is so awesome. Deriving its power from rare tylium ore, the FTL drive can essentially pick you up and plop you down at any point in space, provided you have advanced tracking facilities and the time to plot your course. Indeed, the Cylons—being machines—had better computers and therefore could get the jump, if you will, on the Colonials. In cases of extreme emergency, one could make a "blind jump"—basically slamming the Go button, asteroids and space debris be damned—but you need to be as gutsy as Michelle Forbes's Admiral Cain to do such a thing.
Most of the time a jump is preceded by a "spooling-up," in which the camera angle gets all funky and distorted, oftentimes causing noobs to get sick. Also, using the FTL too much can give your ship metal fatigue.
Plausibility Factor: The science seems suspect, but major points for adding in all the difficulty of upkeep. Let's give it a 5.
Found in: Doctor Who
The BBC may not have been a big-budget operation when it created Doctor Who, but it recognized that space and time were irrevocably connected. So the jumping vessel, the TARDIS, didn't just set you down somewhere—it set you down somewhen.
(Also, the TARDIS is bigger on the inside than the outside—but that's a different article.)
The Time and Relative Dimension in Space machines used by the Time Lords don't all look like an antiquated police box (the one on the show has a faulty chameleon circuit.) The ships are actually grown, drawing their power from an artificial singularity known as the Eye of Harmony. They are technically alive, and in one episode, the consciousness of the TARDIS entered a humanoid. Yeah, we're getting into some weird territory here.
Plausibility Factor: Very low. But we'll give it a 2 because it integrates time and space and, well, we used to watch a lot of public television.
The BBC may not have been a big-budget operation when it created Doctor Who, but it recognized that space and time were irrevocably connected. So the jumping vessel, the TARDIS, didn't just set you down somewhere—it set you down somewhen.
(Also, the TARDIS is bigger on the inside than the outside—but that's a different article.)
The Time and Relative Dimension in Space machines used by the Time Lords don't all look like an antiquated police box (the one on the show has a faulty chameleon circuit.) The ships are actually grown, drawing their power from an artificial singularity known as the Eye of Harmony. They are technically alive, and in one episode, the consciousness of the TARDIS entered a humanoid. Yeah, we're getting into some weird territory here.
Plausibility Factor: Very low. But we'll give it a 2 because it integrates time and space and, well, we used to watch a lot of public television.
Found in: Dune
If you want to travel far out, you have to get far out. Frank Herbert's Dune books make great use of the Holtzman Effect, a grouping of scientific phenomena that can, among other things, fold space itself. That's right—why travel off to a distant star when you can make that distant star come to you? (Kinda.)
What's neat is that the Spacing Guild doesn't need just the advanced technology of a Holtzman drive, but also a pilot who is hopped up on the Spice Melange and can navigate through patterns in foldspace. In this world, then, the designated driver is the one who's the highest. In David Lynch's film version (which many purists reject), a giant space slug shoots squiggly things at a glowing gold box to initiate the drive. Cinema!
Plausibility Factor: This is all rather heavy, but it is hard not to salute Herbert for thinking of a solution from an unusual point of view. Let's go with a 4.
If you want to travel far out, you have to get far out. Frank Herbert's Dune books make great use of the Holtzman Effect, a grouping of scientific phenomena that can, among other things, fold space itself. That's right—why travel off to a distant star when you can make that distant star come to you? (Kinda.)
What's neat is that the Spacing Guild doesn't need just the advanced technology of a Holtzman drive, but also a pilot who is hopped up on the Spice Melange and can navigate through patterns in foldspace. In this world, then, the designated driver is the one who's the highest. In David Lynch's film version (which many purists reject), a giant space slug shoots squiggly things at a glowing gold box to initiate the drive. Cinema!
Plausibility Factor: This is all rather heavy, but it is hard not to salute Herbert for thinking of a solution from an unusual point of view. Let's go with a 4.
Found in: Farscape
Some people name their cars and even talk to them. The Farscape universe takes the next logical step: There are a whole group of biomechanoid ships called Leviathans. They have personalities and thoughts and will adapt and grow to fit the need of their crew.
One of their killer apps is something the Builders gave them called Starbursts. It is the ability to travel at superluminal speeds in cases of extreme urgency. It is essentially a fight-or-flight mechanism, but heavy on the flight. Using a Starburst will not only tucker out a Leviathan, but also wipe all of its navigational data for a spell.
Plausibility Factor: The awesome factor for Starbursts is high. But considering I can't even get one of those automated vacuum cleaners to work, I think we're a long way from this. Let's say 3.
Some people name their cars and even talk to them. The Farscape universe takes the next logical step: There are a whole group of biomechanoid ships called Leviathans. They have personalities and thoughts and will adapt and grow to fit the need of their crew.
One of their killer apps is something the Builders gave them called Starbursts. It is the ability to travel at superluminal speeds in cases of extreme urgency. It is essentially a fight-or-flight mechanism, but heavy on the flight. Using a Starburst will not only tucker out a Leviathan, but also wipe all of its navigational data for a spell.
Plausibility Factor: The awesome factor for Starbursts is high. But considering I can't even get one of those automated vacuum cleaners to work, I think we're a long way from this. Let's say 3.
Found in: BattleTech
According to the mythos of the BattleTech tabletop/computer/video games, novels, comics, and anime shows, the principles behind faster-than-light travel will be discovered at Stanford University in just six years. (Get ready, people!)
About a century later, further work will be done on the theories of Drs. Thomas Kearny and Takayoshi Fuchida to create hyperspace energy fields using large, superconductive masses of titanium and germanium. Sounds easy enough, but the system needs huge amounts of energy, so solar sails are used for time-consuming power-ups from stars. (And there are fewer and fewer full service stations!) Furthermore, unlike with other systems, you just can't jump anywhere—gravitational pull can make "reentry" unstable, so coordinates must be far above a star's ecliptic path. Use of the K-F Drive also does a number on the subatomic particles of the effected region.
Plausibility Factor: For the very fact that using the drives causes so much trauma, let's give this one a 6.
According to the mythos of the BattleTech tabletop/computer/video games, novels, comics, and anime shows, the principles behind faster-than-light travel will be discovered at Stanford University in just six years. (Get ready, people!)
About a century later, further work will be done on the theories of Drs. Thomas Kearny and Takayoshi Fuchida to create hyperspace energy fields using large, superconductive masses of titanium and germanium. Sounds easy enough, but the system needs huge amounts of energy, so solar sails are used for time-consuming power-ups from stars. (And there are fewer and fewer full service stations!) Furthermore, unlike with other systems, you just can't jump anywhere—gravitational pull can make "reentry" unstable, so coordinates must be far above a star's ecliptic path. Use of the K-F Drive also does a number on the subatomic particles of the effected region.
Plausibility Factor: For the very fact that using the drives causes so much trauma, let's give this one a 6.
Found in: Revelation Space
A mysterious defense system preventing the development of faster-than-light travel is one of the key arcs in Alastair Reynolds's fantastic (and ongoing) Revelation Space books. The Earth-descendant peoples (some more mechanically augmented than others) travel in ships called Light Huggers that, as the name suggests, travel at nearly the speed of light.
What makes the Light Huggers so cool (specifically the Nostalgia for Infinity, a ship at the heart of many adventures) is how the relativistic fields create a Tarantino-esque storytelling timeline, even if individual characters just think they are traveling in a straight line.
Light Huggers derive their power from Conjoiner Drives that contain a tiny wormhole reaching back in time and drawing power from quark–gluon plasma created by the big bang. Only a certain number of these wormholes exist, so the technology cannot be replicated—no one remembers how to build them or where they came from.
Plausibility Factor: Alastair Reynolds had a career as an astronomer in the European Space Agency prior to writing books. He talks a good game, so I'll give him a 5 and say he's on to something.
A mysterious defense system preventing the development of faster-than-light travel is one of the key arcs in Alastair Reynolds's fantastic (and ongoing) Revelation Space books. The Earth-descendant peoples (some more mechanically augmented than others) travel in ships called Light Huggers that, as the name suggests, travel at nearly the speed of light.
What makes the Light Huggers so cool (specifically the Nostalgia for Infinity, a ship at the heart of many adventures) is how the relativistic fields create a Tarantino-esque storytelling timeline, even if individual characters just think they are traveling in a straight line.
Light Huggers derive their power from Conjoiner Drives that contain a tiny wormhole reaching back in time and drawing power from quark–gluon plasma created by the big bang. Only a certain number of these wormholes exist, so the technology cannot be replicated—no one remembers how to build them or where they came from.
Plausibility Factor: Alastair Reynolds had a career as an astronomer in the European Space Agency prior to writing books. He talks a good game, so I'll give him a 5 and say he's on to something.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий