- SpaceX Crew 11 Launch Scrub: Join us as we discuss the recent launch scrub of SpaceX's Crew 11 mission due to unexpected cumulus clouds over Cape Canaveral. We break down the safety protocols that led to this decision and look ahead to the rescheduled launch attempts, which will see an international crew aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour on its sixth flight.
- - James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries: Prepare for a cosmic revelation as we explore the James Webb Space Telescope's recent findings of dormant black holes devouring stars. Delve into the details of tidal disruption events and how JWST's infrared capabilities are transforming our understanding of these rare cosmic occurrences.
- - Chasing Comet 3I Atlas: The excitement continues as we examine the feasibility of a mission to intercept the newly discovered interstellar comet 3I Atlas. Learn about the potential for high-speed flybys and the insights we could gain about its composition and origins, as we discuss the study from Michigan State University.
- - The Possibility of Warp Drives: Finally, we venture into the realm of science fiction turned reality with the concept of warp drives. Explore the groundbreaking research into faster-than-light travel, the challenges involved, and the ongoing pursuit of technologies that could one day allow us to traverse the cosmos in a fraction of the time.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music Music, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
SpaceX Crew 11 Mission Overview
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
James Webb Space Telescope Findings
[MIT](https://www.mit.edu/)
Comet 3I Atlas Study
[Michigan State University](https://msu.edu/)
Warp Drive Research
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 to podcast for the latest and greatest
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 news from across the cosmos.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 Avery: I'm Anna and I'm um, Avery. We're
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 so glad you could join us today for another
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 exciting dive into the universe's most
00:00:15 --> 00:00:16 captivating stories.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 Anna: We've got a jam packed episode for you
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 today full of fascinating
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 developments. We'll be starting close to
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 home discussing the recent Space SpaceX
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 Crew 11 launch scrub and
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 why those pesky cumulus clouds caused
00:00:34 --> 00:00:34 a delay.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 Avery: Then we're gonna venture much, much further
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 out into the galaxy as we uncover some
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 incredible new findings from the James Webb
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 Space Telescope which has exposed dormant
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 black holes in the act of devouring stars.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 It's truly like nothing we've ever seen.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 Anna: And speaking of things we've never seen,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 we'll be tackling the thrilling idea
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 of chasing down an interstell,
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 the newly discovered Comet
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 3I
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 ATLs. Could we actually
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 send a mission to intercept it?
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 We'll break down the feasibility.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Avery: Finally, we're taking a leap into the realm
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 of science fiction turned potential reality
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 warp drives. We'll explore the cutting edge
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 research that suggests faster than light
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 travel might just be possible within the next
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 century. It's a mind bending topic that could
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 redefine space exploration. So let's
00:01:30 --> 00:01:30 get started.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 Anna: Alright, let's kick things off with some news
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 from our very own planet. Specifically
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 unfortunately had to scrub the recent launch
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 attempt of their Crew 11 astronaut
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 mission for NASA.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 Avery: That's right, this happened on July 31, just
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 a over a minute before liftoff. The culprit?
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 A bank of cumulus clouds that appeared right
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 over NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 Anna: It sounds like the weather just didn't want
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 to cooperate with the excitement of the Crew
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 11 launch. NASA commentator
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 Darrell Mail explained during the coverage
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 that they could literally see the clouds
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 moving over the pad.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 Avery: And it's not just about visibility. It's a
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 critical safety issue. Neil elaborated that
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 there's a 10 mile radius standoff area around
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 the launch pad for these dark cumulus clouds.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 You absolutely do not want to send the rocket
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 through a tall cloud like that as it could
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 generate energy from the rocket passing
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 through it, which is obviously a significant
00:02:34 --> 00:02:34 risk.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 Anna: Absolutely. Safety always comes first,
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 especially when human lives are on the line.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 But there's good news. SpaceX will
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 be trying again. The next attempt is
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 Scheduled for Friday, August 1 at
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 11:43am M
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 EDT. With another chance
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 on Saturday, August 2 at
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 11:21am M EDT.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 Avery: When it does launch, the Crew 11 mission will
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 see a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lift off
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 from Launch Complex 39A at KSC.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 It's carrying the Crew Dragon Endeavour
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 spacecraft which is making its sixth flight,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 setting a new reuse record for Crew Dragon
00:03:17 --> 00:03:17 vehicles.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 Anna: The four person crew is an international
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 one featuring NASA astronauts
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 Zena Cardman and Mike Finke,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Kamiya Yui from the Japan
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 Aerospace Exploration Agency or
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 JAXA, and Oleg Plaitnov
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 of Russia's space agency Roscosmos.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 Avery: Once launched, the Crew 11 will embark on an
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 approximate 40 hour journey to catch up to
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 the International Space Station which orbits
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 at a remarkable speed of about
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 17 miles per hour or
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 28 kilometers per hour, roughly
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 248 miles or 400 kilometers above
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 Earth's surface. This will be SpaceX's
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 11th operational astronaut mission for NASA
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 through its commercial crew program
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 highlighting the growing role of private
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 spacecraft in space travel.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 Anna: From launch delays, we now pivot to
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 some truly mind bending discoveries
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 courtesy of the James Webb Space Space
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 Telescope. Prepare yourselves for
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 a cosmic horror story because
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 the JWST has caught
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 dormant black holes in the act of
00:04:27 --> 00:04:28 devouring stars.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 Avery: Nothing like we've ever seen is how lead
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 author Megan Masterson from MIT describes
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 these findings. Unlike the active galaxies we
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 usually hear about where black holes are
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 constantly gorging on nearby matter, these
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 are dormant black holes. They mostly slumber,
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 stirring only for a brief spectacular feast
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 on an unlucky passing star.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 Anna: This new study, published in
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 Astrophysical Journal Letters,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 details how astronomers from
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 mit, Columbia and other
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 institutions used
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 JWST to peer
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 through thick layers of dust in
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 nearby galaxies. They were looking
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 for the aftermath of what are called
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 tidal disruption events, or
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 TDEs.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 Avery: These are incredibly rare cosmic occurrences.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 Imagine a galaxy's central black
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 hole pulling in a nearby star,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 tearing it apart with immense tidal forces
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 and then releasing a massive burst of energy.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 Since the 1990s, only about a hundred
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 TDE's have been documented, mostly in
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 galaxies with little dust, making the ray
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 or optical light easier to observe.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 Anna: But the brilliance of JWST
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 as uh, the world's most powerful infrag
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 detector is that it can see through
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 that obscuring dust. Previous work
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 by the MIT team showed that while
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 a uh, TDE's, X ray and optical
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 light might be hidden, that same
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 burst of light heats up the surrounding
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 dust that generating a new signal in the
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 form of infrared light.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 Avery: Exactly. And with JWST,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 they've now studied signals from four dusty
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 galaxies where they suspected TDEs
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 occurred. Inside the dust, JWST
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 detected clear fingerprints of black hole
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 accretion. That's the process where Material
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 like stellar debris spirals and eventually
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 falls into a black hole.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 Anna: What's fascinating is that the patterns
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 detected by JWST were
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 strikingly different from the dust around
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 active galaxies, where the central black hole
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 Is always pulling in material.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 This confirmed that a tidal disruption event
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 did indeed occur in each of the four
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 galaxies. And critically, they were products
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 of dormant black holes, which had little
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 to no activity and until a star
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 wandered too close.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 Avery: This really highlights JWST's
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 incredible potential to study these otherwise
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 hidden events in detail. It's helping
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 scientists understand the key differences in
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 environments around active versus dormant
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 black holes. Megan Masterson emphasized that
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 they've learned these events are powered by
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 black hole accretion, but they don't look
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 like environments around normal active black
00:07:26 --> 00:07:26 holes.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 Anna: To get a, uh, bona fide signal, as
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 Masterson put it, they specifically looked
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 for a peak in infrared light that could only
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 be produced by black hole accretion.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 This process is so intense that it
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 can blast electrons out of atoms
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 like neon, which then release infrared
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 radiation At a very specific
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 wavelength that JWST can
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 detect.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 Avery: There's nothing else in the universe that can
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 excite this gas to these energies except for
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 black hole accretion. Masterson explained.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 This was their smoking gun. They then used
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 JWST to detect another infrared
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 wavelength, Indicating silicates, or dust,
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 Mapping its patterns to differentiate between
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 a temporary TDE and a
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 constantly active black hole.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 Anna: The results definitively showed
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 patterns Unlike typical active galaxies,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 confirming these were dormant black holes
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 that only flared up Due to a star
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 being disrupted. This research is
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 just the beginning. The team plans to
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 uncover many more hidden TDEs,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 which can then serve as powerful probes
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 to understand fundamental black hole
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 properties, like their mass and spin
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 and how long they take to consume stellar
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 material that's truly wild.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 Speaking of rare cosmic occurrences, We've
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 had a few close encounters of our own Here in
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 the solar system recently.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 Avery: You're talking about interstellar objects,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 aren't you? It's a tantalizing prospect.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 The idea of visitors from beyond our sun's
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 reach.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 Anna: Exactly. Since 2017,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 we've spotted three 1i
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 Oumuamua, 2eye
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 Borisov. And just this month,
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 3i Atlas this latest
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 one, Discovered by the Asteroid
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 Terrestrial Impact Last alert Survey
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 is zipping through the inner solar system in
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 the Latter Half of 2025.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:35 Avery: And of course, the immediate question is
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 always, can we get a closer look?
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 All assets on the ground and in space Will be
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 turned towards 3i Atlas. But what would
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 it look like up close? Can we even consider
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 Chasing down such a speedy visitor?
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 Anna: Well, A recent study from Michigan State
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 University published on the ARXIV
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 Preprint server actually explored the
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 feasibility of just that. It's titled
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 the Feasibility of a Spacecraft
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 Flyby with the third interstellar object
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 3I Atlas from Earth or Mars.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 The study could serve as a template for
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 future missions to these enigmatic
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 objects.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 Avery: Lead author Atsuhiro Yaginuma told
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 Universe Today that a close flyby would
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 enable measurements impossible from Earth.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 We could get direct compositional and
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 isotopic analysis of ISIS dust
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 and organics in situ, plus high
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 resolution imaging of its nucleus, revealing
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 its shape, size, size, spin state and
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 active jets. All of this would offer critical
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 insights into planetary formation and
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 evolution in an alien system.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 Anna: We already know a bit about 3i
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 atlas. It's a very old object
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 hailing from the thick galactic disk of the
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 Milky Way. Gemini north gave us a close
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 up view mid month, confirming its
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 cometary in nature. It's currently
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 shining at AH 17th magnitude,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 but is expected to brighten 100 fold
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 to 12th magnitude as it reaches
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 perihelion about
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 1
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 astronomical units from the sun on
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 October 29th.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 Avery: Unlike Oumuamua, we're seeing 3I
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 Atlas on its inbound leg, which is a big
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 advantage for planning an intercept. However,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 it's really moving at a speedy 58
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 km per second relative to the Sun.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 Catching up would be a whirlwind mission.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 The study looked at various scenarios with an
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 Earth or Mars departure between January
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 2025 and March 2026.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 Anna: An Earth departure would demand a high
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 initial Delta V around
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 24km per second, which is
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 a huge amount of thrust, although the dawn
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 spacecraft almost matched this in its post
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 launch phase. Interestingly, a
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 Mars departure would need much less,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 only about 5 kilometers per second in early
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 2025. This is because 3i
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 Atlas makes a much closer pass by
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 Mars at 0.2 au
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 on October 3 compared to its
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 closest Earth passage at 1.8
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 au on December 19.
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 Avery: Yaginuma pointed out that Mars orbiters could
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 image 3i Atlas when it's not observable
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 from Earth, especially around its perihelion.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 This would be crucial for understanding its
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 activity. Repurposing existing Mars
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 orbiters like Maven or Odyssey might even be
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 possible if they have enough fuel.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:46 Anna: The study also considered missions already
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 built but looking for a new destination
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 like the Janus Duo, two small
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 simplex spacecraft that were shelved
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 after delays forced the Psyche mission to
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 take an alternate path. Being relatively
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 light, they might be candidates if we could
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 launch them sooner rather than later.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 NASA's Osiris apex. A
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 repurposed Osiris Rex is also
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 set to perform an Earth gravity assist in
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 September 2025, and could make long
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 range observations of 3i Antlis
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 start in November.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 Avery: Despite these possibilities, intercepting
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 something Moving at over 60 km per
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 second would make imaging during such a fast
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 encounter incredibly tricky. For
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 comparison, New Horizons pass Pluto, charon
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 at only 14 kilometers per second.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 Anna: The future, however, looks promising for
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 high speed flybys. The European Space
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 Agency's proposed comet interceptor,
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 planned for launch in 2029, will be
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 parked at the Sun Earth L2 point,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 awaiting a target. While designed for new
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 comets, it could potentially chase down an
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03 interstellar object if it happens to pass by.
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 Avery: The key takeaway from the study is the
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 earlier we can spot incoming interstellar
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 objects, the more options we'll have, and the
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 less energy will be required to go after
00:14:14 --> 00:14:17 them. A new generation of all sky
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 surveys, like the recently commissioned Vera
00:14:19 --> 00:14:22 C. Rubin Observatory, promises to do
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 just that, spotting these cosmic
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 interlopers early and helping us study them
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 like never before.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 Anna: From chasing interstellar comets, we now
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 turn to a concept that has truly captured
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 the human imagination. For
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 warp drive. We're talking about the ability
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 to travel through faster than the speed of
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 light, a concept that started in the realms
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 of Star Trek and Star wars, but is now
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 being seriously investigated by scientists.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 Avery: That's right, Anna. Scientists are actively
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 researching whether bending spacetime itself
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 could allow us to reach distant stars,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 quickly, turning what was once pure science
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 fiction into a potential scientific reality.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 Anna: The fundamental idea of warp drive doesn't
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 involve rockets burning fuel. Instead, it
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 involves bending spacetime. Physicist
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 Miguel Alcabierre first described this
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 concept in 1994. He proposed
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 creating a bubble around a spacecraft that
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 compresses space in front of it and expands
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 space behind it.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 Avery: And the clever part is, inside this bubble,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 your ship doesn't actually move faster than
00:15:31 --> 00:15:34 light. It stays still while space time
00:15:34 --> 00:15:37 itself shifts around it. This ingenious
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 loophole allows the bubble to exceed light
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 speed when, without breaking Einstein's
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 universal speed limit, which states that
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 nothing with mass can travel at or faster
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 than light speed.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 Anna: Within spacetime, however, there's a
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 massive catch. Creating this bubble
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 requires something called negative energy or
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 negative mass, which are strange materials
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 that push space outward rather than pulling
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 it in. Alcavieri's original theory
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 suggested you'd need negative energy
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 equivalent to Jupiter's mass, which is
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 far beyond anything we can currently achieve.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 Avery: But some researchers are working on this.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:17 NASA physicist Dr. Harold Sunny White, for
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 example, believes that by tweaking the
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 bubble's shape, this mass requirement could
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 be reduced to about 700 kg,
00:16:24 --> 00:16:27 making the idea slightly more feasible.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 White even leads a NASA team Developing the
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 Whyte Jude warp field interferometer,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:35 A, uh, device intended to detect tiny warp
00:16:35 --> 00:16:38 bubbles. While it's nowhere near enabling
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 actual space travel, it's a crucial step,
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 and we.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 Anna: Have some hints of negative energy. Small
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 amounts have appeared in experiments like the
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 Casimir effect, where two metal plates placed
00:16:49 --> 00:16:52 close together Create negative energy. But
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 these tiny quantities Are still a far cry
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 from what's needed for warp drives.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 Avery: Scientists are still debating the
00:16:59 --> 00:17:02 practicality of warp drives. Calculations
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 suggest quantum fields at the warp bubble's
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 edges Might become infinitely large and
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 unstable. Other simulations indicate
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 exotic matter Might escape the bubble Faster
00:17:11 --> 00:17:14 than light, Quickly destroying it. Even the
00:17:14 --> 00:17:17 smallest viable warp bubble, roughly 30ft
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 wide, would demand negative energy,
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 Surpassing all positive energy in our
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 universe. It's a truly immense challenge.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 Anna: Professor Tim Dietrich from Potsdam
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 University Also highlighted another serious
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 issue, Causality paradoxes.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 He explained that using a warp drive might
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 cause paradoxes Once it crosses light speed,
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 Potentially disrupting our understanding of
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 cause and effect. It's like traveling into
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 the past.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 Avery: Yet despite these significant hurdles, Warp
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 drives haven't been dismissed entirely.
00:17:49 --> 00:17:52 Professor Geraint Lewis of the University of
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 Sydney Believes we might discover exotic
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 matter within the next century. He
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 optimistically stated that Einstein's theory
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01 is a hundred years old, but we've only
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 scratched the surface, Suggesting hyper fast
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 travel Might become achievable in the next
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 100 or 1000 years.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 Anna: Dr. White from NASA supports the idea that
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 initial warp journeys could combine warp
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 drives with traditional propulsion. Ships
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 could leave Earth with standard rockets,
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 Engage warp drives one safely away and
00:18:20 --> 00:18:23 deactivate them close to their destination. A
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 trip to Alpha Centauri, which currently takes
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 centuries, could then potentially take just
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 months.
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 Avery: Um, and interestingly, even if humans can't
00:18:32 --> 00:18:35 build warp drives, Detecting aliens using
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 this technology might be possible. Dr.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:40 Katie Kloe, a, ah, cosmologist at Queen Mary
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 University of London, Suggests that
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 collapsing warp bubbles would emit
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 gravitational waves. If these exist,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 Earth based detectors could potentially spot
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 them.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 Anna: Dietrich and Klauf have studied scenarios
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 where the exotic matter's containment field
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 collapses, Creating ripples propagating
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 outward. Detecting these gravitational waves
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 would be confirmation that someone else has
00:19:03 --> 00:19:06 already mastered warp drive. Dr. Clough
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 even praised Star Trek beyond for
00:19:09 --> 00:19:12 its more accurate depiction, Noting
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 that the bullet shot was loosely
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 based on how light curves around a warp
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 bubble.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 Avery: The visual depiction of warp travel in movies
00:19:21 --> 00:19:24 like Star wars with dazzling bursts of
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 streaking stars, and is also likely
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 incorrect. According to Dr. Clough,
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 looking forward would show objects shifted
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 toward blue, While backward views would turn
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 red due to warped like wavelengths.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 Shapes would appear distorted, similar to
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 viewing through curved glass. Research by
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 physics students at the University of
00:19:43 --> 00:19:46 Leicester suggests passengers would instead
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 witness a glowing disk due to cosmic
00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 background radiation shifting into visible
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 light.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 Anna: Dr. Clough even praised Star Trek
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 beyond for its more accurate
00:19:57 --> 00:20:00 depiction, noting that the bullet
00:20:00 --> 00:20:03 shot was loosely based on how light
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 curves around a, uh, warp bubble.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:08 Avery: Warp drive remains speculative and distant,
00:20:08 --> 00:20:11 but history teaches us not to dismiss such
00:20:11 --> 00:20:14 concepts lightly. Touchscreens, voice
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 assistants, and 3D printing all began as
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 improbable ideas from fiction. Star
00:20:19 --> 00:20:22 Trek famously predicted warp travel by
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 2063. While ambitious scientists
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 agree that breakthroughs could bring us
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 closer, faster than we imagine.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 Anna: Continued exploration in physics,
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 quantum mechanics, and engineering could
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 one day make warp drives a reality.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:40 Whether humanity ever travels at warp
00:20:40 --> 00:20:43 speed remains uncertain, but the pursuit
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46 itself enriches our understanding of the
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 universe and pushing scientific boundaries.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:52 Perhaps someday, space journeys lasting
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 mere moments instead of lifetimes might
00:20:55 --> 00:20:58 transition from science fiction into
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 our everyday reality.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 Well, that brings us to the end of another
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 What a ride it's been today.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. It's always inspiring to
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 see how far our understanding of the universe
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 has come and how much more there is to
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 explore.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:18 Anna: Indeed. Thank you so much for tuning in to
00:21:18 --> 00:21:21 Astronomy Daily. We hope you enjoyed
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 exploring the cosmos with us today.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 Avery: You can find more episodes of Astronomy Daily
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 and stay updated on the latest space and
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31 astronomy news by simply visiting our website
00:21:31 --> 00:21:33 at, uh, astronomydaily.IO.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:37 Anna: We'Ll be back tomorrow with more stories from
00:21:37 --> 00:21:40 across the universe. Until then, keep looking
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 up