You don't have to do a lot of 'splaining, but is "warp speed" (as in Star Trek) really possible in theory?

Not unless a lot of what we currently believe turns out to be false. The theory of special relativity tells us that it is impossible for anything with more mass than a proton to travel at light speed. But if we can’t even reach light speed, then there’s no way we could surpass it. Furthermore, it isn’t some fringe corollary to the theory that tells us this. It directly follows from the central equations (i.e. E=mc²), so the theory would have to be wrong on a fundamental level for warp speed to be achievable.

But even if Einstein was massively mistaken and we can create bubbles in space-time to travel through, it may yet be impossible to have faster-than-light spacecrafts. For one, the amount of energy we would need to propel an object at warp speed would be so large that we’d be converting entire planets into fuel just to get the process started. For another, the bubble would probably be prone to collapsing in on itself. And finally, anything inside the bubble would probably be subjected to Hawking radiation at a temperature of 10³⁰K.

So it’s probably impossible. And even if it’s not, we’d be using a lot of resources to create something that would probably burn us to death (assuming we weren’t crushed first by space-time itself).

Our understanding of anything beyond physics is really really rudimentary. It’s not that we’re dumb, it’s just most of it is based on “best fit” theories that are stacked on one another and seem to make sense. But so much of what we “know” right now will be proven wrong.

As a glaring example, right now we can’t find the majority of theoretical energy and matter in the universe. We don’t know what form it takes, or where it is, and we look for its effects because we don’t even know what we’re looking for directly. It’s like we’re staring at the sky and have lightning chalked up to Zeus at this point.

We go to space, but we’re pretty sure we’re even doing that wrong, we just don’t know how else to get it done, quite yet.

That’s all to say that we just don’t know enough. If we last long enough as a knowledge gathering species, hopefully we’ll find out for sure, but right now it’s like asking a caveman if television is possible based on his understanding of fire.

Einstein’s model of the universe tells us nothing can travel faster than light however a ‘warp drive’ works by bending or distorting space which according to Einstein is possible. You could say, being generous, that Einstein doesn’t rule out space travel nor is Einstein the last word on the subject. There is still a lot we don’t know.

Neutrinos don’t exceed the speed of light. Nothing exceeds the speed of light.

So you are correct—it will basically be impossible to travel to the stars unless you have a self-sustaining multigenerational colony ship.

In theory, at least according to the Alcubierre theory , yes.

In broader theory, practical faster-than-light (FTL) travel may be possible in other ways we haven’t figured out yet.

Note too that it is also possible for one ship to practically exceed the speed of light… if you apply 4 times the thrust to go light speed, you’ll arrive at that nearest star in one year, your time… but the time passed relative to other things will be greater, so if you could fly back like that to Earth, you’d have spent two years of your life, but Earth would be older than that when you returned.

Also note that physics has little to say about anything that might exist that doesn’t move about beneath the speed of light – so some sort of hyperspace travel might also be possible, or other tricks that we haven’t managed yet and probably won’t for some time.

100 years ago, we were still barely able to build useful airplanes.

Nothing can move through space faster than light.
But space itself can do whatever the hell it wants.
So yes, Warp Drive is possible, since it essentially works by shortening the distance through warping space.

Tachyons can go faster than light. They haven’t been found yet.

Warp drive, as presented on Star Trek, isn’t really warping space. At Warp Ten, an object could exist in all places in the universe.
It is theoretically possible to travel on a Einstein Rosen bridge, but this could be considered time travel, rather than speed as it is currently perceived.

@filmfann
You can safely ignore that dreadful episode.

We could also compute our own universe where we have such capabilities and reside there. We’ll probably have that accomplished long before we get to another solar system. If we can’t tell the difference then what difference does it make.

I like the Event Horizon theory, only without all the creepy shit.

Propulsion is kind of a waste. Even at light speed, its too slow, and our fragile bodies cannot handle the inertia anyway.

We will need to manipulate space, and time to truly traverse the vasst distances in space…

IT is merely fantasy with no firm basis in science. It is a “Deux ex Macxhina” to allow fictional characters to travel vastly further than humans ever actually can. It is similar to “Seven League Boots” in fairy tales. matter can never travel even close to the velocity of light, not to mention even faster than light. The fuel demands for interstellar travel can never be met, so “Warp Drive” is a fictional device used to accomplish impossible feats. it is a for of Magick!