Hey that looks like Earth!!!

[the canadian dream]

http://voices.suntimes.com/news/breaking-news/nasa-finds-habitable-planet-but-dont-pack-just-yet/#.U1Ap59yPbsI</p>


 </p>


Pretty cool stuff. It amazes me how they keep finding planets like this.</p>

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

You going back to your home planet soon?

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-time="1397826996" data-cid="226252" data-author="Grimsäväinen">

You going back to your home planet soon?</p></blockquote>
I thought Vancouver was where all of the aliens came from?

 

[Pez68]

500 light years. Christ. How's that warp drive tech coming along? Lol

 

[TSD]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pez68" data-cid="226694" data-time="1398066284">
<div>


500 light years. Christ. How's that warp drive tech coming along? Lol</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


I was under the impression that wasn't possible (as posited in star trek).  In star trek they invented "sub space" to get around the problem of obeying physical laws in "regular space".</p>


 </p>


They do something similar in most sci-fi.  Like in the video game Mass Effect (hence the title) they find a mineral that acts as anti-matter, which gets you around the whole issue of mass increasing infinitely as you enter faster than light travel.  which like the subspace bubble in star trek, they have a mass effect bubble.  There is postulation in the scientific community anti-matter could potentially exist (there are "Anti-particles").</p>


 </p>


The common theme is sci-fi always has to invent some sort of natural phenomenon we don't know yet exists to solve the physics issues with FTL travel.</p>


 </p>


It surprises me there isn't any sci fi (I am aware of) that tries to take the most plausible way to travel faster than light, which is not to do so at all, but punch a hole through space time.</p>

 

[supraman]

I thought anti-matter was damn near a given fact and just hasn't been observed yet but needs to be there since there isnt enough matter in the universe for its mass, or something like that.</p>

 

[LordKOTL]

I thought they've actually created antimater and detected particles like the positron, anti-neutron, Anti-proton, etc.</p>

 

[TSD]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="LordKOTL" data-cid="226896" data-time="1398194197">
<div>


I thought they've actually created antimater and detected particles like the positron, anti-neutron, Anti-proton, etc.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


They have found particles, but it apparently needs so many particles to be considered anti- matter and they havent found enough.</p>

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

 

[Pez68]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Super Douchiev" data-cid="226882" data-time="1398191450">
<div>


I was under the impression that wasn't possible (as posited in star trek).  In star trek they invented "sub space" to get around the problem of obeying physical laws in "regular space".</p>


 </p>


They do something similar in most sci-fi.  Like in the video game Mass Effect (hence the title) they find a mineral that acts as anti-matter, which gets you around the whole issue of mass increasing infinitely as you enter faster than light travel.  which like the subspace bubble in star trek, they have a mass effect bubble.  There is postulation in the scientific community anti-matter could potentially exist (there are "Anti-particles").</p>


 </p>


The common theme is sci-fi always has to invent some sort of natural phenomenon we don't know yet exists to solve the physics issues with FTL travel.</p>


 </p>


It surprises me there isn't any sci fi (I am aware of) that tries to take the most plausible way to travel faster than light, which is not to do so at all, but punch a hole through space time.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


I was just joking about the warp drive, but this is definitely one of the topics I'm very interested in. I really, really wish we could come up with a way to quickly travel to all of these galaxies/planets that we are discovering.</p>

 

[roshinaya]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Super Douchiev" data-cid="226882" data-time="1398191450">

They do something similar in most sci-fi.  Like in the video game Mass Effect (hence the title) they find a mineral that acts as anti-matter, which gets you around the whole issue of mass increasing infinitely as you enter faster than light travel.  which like the subspace bubble in star trek, they have a mass effect bubble.  There is postulation in the scientific community anti-matter could potentially exist (there are "Anti-particles").</p></blockquote>
/ :icon-geek: mode ON

In the Mass Effect, FTL is possible, as you say because of a mineral, but not because it acts as anti-matter but because it allows one to manipulate the mass. This then allows FTL capability without increasing the mass and not having the time dilation effect.
/ :icon-geek: mode OFF
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Super Douchiev" data-cid="226882" data-time="1398191450">

It surprises me there isn't any sci fi (I am aware of) that tries to take the most plausible way to travel faster than light, which is not to do so at all, but punch a hole through space time.</p></blockquote>
That sounds like wormholes and there's tons of sci-fi where that is the means of travelling FTL. Theoretically they are plausible, but so far no evidence of them existing has been observed let alone them being a way to travel to distant places.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Super Douchiev" data-cid="226921" data-time="1398203414">

They have found particles, but it apparently needs so many particles to be considered anti- matter and they havent found enough.</p></blockquote> 
They've managed to produce antihydrogen and antihelium. They are the simplest atoms, but it's still difficult and expensive to create them. Anti-matter is interesting since interacting that with regular matter releases large amounts of energy and massive amounts of energy is what's needed to travel really fast. One open question is why there seems to be more matter than antimatter in the universe, since according to our current understanding an equal amount should have been formed in the Big Bang.

Dark energy and dark matter are different things and not really related to antimatter.

 

[the canadian dream]

looks like i know where to go when i need astro physics questions answered. rosh just owned everyone and everything.</p>


 </p>


Anti matter is just being sucked up by black holes and interacting with regular matter in them. So much anti matter in black holes that this energy is creating big bangs at the other end creating new universes.</p>


 </p>


I'm totally talking out of my ass of course. but it was fun to think about.</p>


 </p>


In reality ancient aliens are just eating anti matter that's why we can't find enough of it.</p>

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

Highly accelerate space travel is possible, but has many things that still need to be solve (beyond figuring out how to travel near speed of light, though plenty of theoretics out there that show it's possibility and mostly mimic the same issues).


(1) Energy - Need to have massive energy and ability to sustain or kick in occasionally that energy to keep the speeds. Yes when something is given a boost in space it will move very long distances will relatively little loss in speed...however there are many gravitational forces in effect that will accelerate that slow down over long distances. There is a reason why satellites and other space craft use the sun or moon to get a boost.

Plasma (or Ion) engines have existed since the 70's and there are pretty well refined to the point of getting a large space craft to Mars in about 40 days (vs 6+ months). However, Plasma engines need a large amount of energy to kick it off and gain those speeds. While that energy can be generated in a lab, there is still the need to be able to do it on a space craft.

Liquid, gas, or solid fuels can be used, however they are very bulky and heavy. Also need to get the craft, or parts of the craft into space, which has it's own issues with the weight and bulk. So, in the last decade the research focus has gone towards nuclear. Not a reactor, per se, but more of a battery. While nuclear will be lighter and sustain energy output much longer than other known fuel options, it is still too bulky and would eat up too much critical real-estate on the spacecraft. I think this issue will be solved in the next 5-8 years given the money going into it.



(2) Protection - Lots of nasty stuff that will degenerate the body very quickly once it leaves the majority of Earth's atmosphere and gravity. Not too much advanced research here since #1 still needs a ton of further research. But it will need to be resolved regardless of the distance and time of travel.



(3) Food and other resources - Still need to eat, drink, and handle body waste on those long trips. The ISS has been a live test that has shown major strides in this area. Everything from hydroponic systems for food that get the water and nutrients from body waste...to filtering out urine to get clean water to drink. However, nothing that shows a highly long sustainability without addition resources to assist. These processes also eat up a ton of space.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Nerrrrrrrrrrdddddddds!!!!

 

[LordKOTL]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BiscuitInTheBasket2in17" data-cid="226932" data-time="1398209138">
<div>

</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


That would be true if we were really destroying the earth proper and not ourselves.</p>

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Grimsäväinen" data-cid="227029" data-time="1398258094">
<div>


Nerrrrrrrrrrdddddddds!!!!</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>

</p>

 

[MassHavoc]

I think it's going to take a complete revelation of what time and space is in order to make these types of long travel distances possible. It's not going to be about what we can do to move from point a to point be faster. Especially with all the shit in the way. But who knows what that will be. Infinite time and space is a hell of a drug...</p>

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MassHavoc" data-cid="227047" data-time="1398263820">
<div>


I think it's going to take a complete revelation of what time and space is in order to make these types of long travel distances possible. It's not going to be about what we can do to move from point a to point be faster. Especially with all the shit in the way. But who knows what that will be. Infinite time and space is a hell of a drug...</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>


And that is assuming that there is a way to warp\fold\collapse space to be able to get point to point or waypoint to waypoint.   Big unknown with tons of theoretic that looks good on paper.  Just like me.</p>

 

[MassHavoc]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BiscuitInTheBasket2in17" data-cid="227072" data-time="1398281986">
<div>


And that is assuming that there is a way to warp\fold\collapse space to be able to get point to point or waypoint to waypoint.   Big unknown with tons of theoretic that looks good on paper.  Just like me.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


I just honestly think we don't have the capacity yet to even understand the real of possibility. going to be a while... basically just yesterday we thought the world was flat. Imagine what we will know tomorrow.</p>

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MassHavoc" data-cid="227088" data-time="1398287711">
<div>


I just honestly think we don't have the capacity yet to even understand the real of possibility. going to be a while... basically just yesterday we thought the world was flat. Imagine what we will know tomorrow.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>


Actually more than 3000 years ago, and not with the aid of space and fancy sensors, philosophers and mathematicians were trying to calculate how round the Earth is...and in many cultures their after.   Only a smaller subset of culture over that time thought otherwise...and probably to stifle the competition.  I also think it was known that the Earth was round well before that, like 10,000+ year based on human expansion and modes of travel.</p>


 </p>


You are correct, though, we have no capacity at this time to determine if folding\warping\collapsing space is possible.  Nothing has been discovered or even remotely observed to suggest that it is possible.  Just supposition at this point in history.</p>