Scientists investigate the possibility of wormholes between stars

PhysOrg ^ | 2/25/11 | Lisa Zyga

[LibWhacker]

(PhysOrg.com) -- Wormholes are one of the stranger objects that arise in general relativity. Although no experimental evidence for wormholes exists, scientists predict that they would appear to serve as shortcuts between one point of spacetime and another. Scientists usually imagine wormholes connecting regions of empty space, but now a new study suggests that wormholes might exist between distant stars. Instead of being empty tunnels, these wormholes would contain a perfect fluid that flows back and forth between the two stars, possibly giving them a detectable signature.

The scientists, Vladimir Dzhunushaliev at the Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan and coauthors, have posted their investigation of the possibility of wormholes between stars on arXiv.org.

The scientists began investigating the idea of wormholes between stars when they were researching what kinds of astrophysical objects could serve as entrances to wormholes. According to previous models, some of these objects could look similar to stars.

This idea led the scientists to wonder if wormholes might exist in otherwise ordinary stars and neutron stars. From a distance, these stars would look very much like normal stars (and normal neutron stars), but they might have a few differences that could be detectable.

To investigate these differences, the researchers developed a model of an ordinary star with a tunnel at the star’s center, through which matter could move. Two stars that share a wormhole would have a unique connection, since they are associated with the two mouths of the wormhole. Because exotic matter in the wormhole could flow like a fluid between the stars, both stars would likely pulse in an unusual way. This pulsing could lead to the release of various kinds of energy, such as ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.

For now, the difficult part is calculating exactly what kinds of oscillations are occurring, and what kind of energy is being released. This information would allow scientists to predict what a wormhole-containing star might look like from Earth, and begin searching for these otherwise normal-looking stars.

[allmendream]

There is a reason that one of the enumerated powers of Congress is to promote the arts and useful sciences.

There is a reason why people around the world come to America for a university level education.

There is a reason why the USA is at the forefront of new drugs and biological discoveries that benefit the world - and provide intellectual and manufacturing jobs in the USA.

Now some of these models may be far-fetched - but SOMEONE is going to discover the next major breakthrough in Physics, it seems long overdue to me, and as an American I think it should be discovered in America.

[allmendream]

Until good 3D animation I wouldn't think it possible.

Muppets might work.

Those would be some awesome looking muppets!

[allmendream]

It would be amusing to see the motie Fyunch-click start acting and talking like ‘their’ human. Using those motion capture suits you could do something like it.

And the warrior moties would have to look like living moving demons. Never miss, never break discipline, think tactics and killing and little else.

It is such a good story. Love story, mystery, intrigue, betrayal, contraband, a great mystery, a great secret, the big reveal, and the fallout.

A GREAT movie!

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

They really have no clue. Cosmology has become nothing more that wild-eyed science fiction.

[muir_redwoods]

Please remember, you’re reading the words of a science reporter, not the well reasoned arguments of the scientists themselves

[darth]

Wormholes, like black holes, are simply products of general relativity theory. They are a logical product, and it is reasonable to research whether they exist.

Had an acquaintance at Los Alamos about 10 years ago who was trying to construct a wormhole. With enough energy in a small enough spot he calculated that he could warp spacetime and create a wormhole for a femtosecond or so. His dream was to try to obtain images of what was on the other end of the hole. Reminds me of Buckaroo Banzai and the creatures from the Eighth Dimension.

[PIF]

In Iain M Banks’ “The Algebraist,” wormholes connect all large gas giants in the universe - which are all inhabited by a very reclusive and insular, very long-lived, radically nonhuman race called the Dwellers.

The Dwellers use the pathways when it suits their purposes, and never for purposes of others - their use of and the very existance of that use is a closely held secret.

[Strategerist]

I love all the anti-science posts. Way to live down to the Leftist stereotypes of conservatives, guys.

It's rapidly getting worse; we're reaching a point where some scientists with an interesting hypothesis are drawing the same level of derision and hatred as a teacher that molests a dozen school girls.

It's not JUST that some people associate ALL of science with AGW, and not just creationists, either - is it just the equivalent of picking on the smart kid in school because he understands stuff that you don't?

[King Moonracer]

That would be Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle for $100, Alex.

[Verginius Rufus]

Had to look up femtosecond. One-quadrillionth of a second--if you sneezed you missed it all.

Who was Mr. Femto anyway and why did he get a unit of time named for him? One of Stalin's spies, no doubt...

[Verginius Rufus]

What does a normal neutron star look like anyway? And what is the opposite—a rainbow-colored gay neutron star?

[r9etb]

It is such a good story. Love story, mystery, intrigue, betrayal, contraband, a great mystery, a great secret, the big reveal, and the fallout. A GREAT movie!

It'd have to be very carefully done, though, so as not to become a geek-fest. Niven and Pournelle tend(ed) to write for an audience that was already well-acquainted with science fiction in general, and their particular universe in particular. And it has to be said, their grasp on love and intimacy was rather geekish and mechanical.

To do the story justice, the screen adaptation would need to be done by somebody who could turn it into a more human sort of story; or, alternatively, the human element could be pared down to the usual action-movie caricatures, and then it could be turned into a great explosion movie.

[r9etb]

Wormholes, like black holes, are simply products of general relativity theory. They are a logical product, and it is reasonable to research whether they exist. Had an acquaintance at Los Alamos about 10 years ago who was trying to construct a wormhole. With enough energy in a small enough spot he calculated that he could warp spacetime and create a wormhole for a femtosecond or so.

Brute force is always tempting for such things.... but one wonders if quantum entanglement (which has been demonstrated) is somehow already using wormholes or something like them.....

[LibWhacker]

Yep, a pitiful failure of public education.

[LibWhacker]

Found these two different artist renderings:

I don't know if they would look the opposite if they had one end of a wormhole at the center, just that their spectral fingerprint would give them away or they would pulsate in some telltale way, etc. Didn't read the paper myself; when I read something, I like to understand at least 10% of it. :-)

Incidentally, I saw one of those little factoid things on neutron stars a few months ago that said if you fell off your bar stool on a neutron star, you'd hit the ground at three million miles per hour.

[the invisib1e hand]

Actually had one for a roommate once. Good guy; but had to ask him to put pants on before I brought my date in.

[darth]

Never thought of quantum entanglement and the connection to worm holes.

I am an engineer; I always look for applications. Did you see my comments on the cloaking device? Dunno if that was ever built.

[1rudeboy]

We need eggheads. Because they are eggheads. Some people do not understand.

[AdmSmith]

“These guys can’t hold real jobs.”

Tell that to Jim Simons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Simons

[Vor Lady]

Barrayar or bust!