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QUOTE(New Scientist Space)
First conceived as a response to Einstein’s theory of relativity, wormholes – which link different parts of space, or even parallel universes – have become a staple feature of many a sci-fi yarn.
First conceived as a response to Einstein’s theory of relativity, wormholes – which link different parts of space, or even parallel universes – have become a staple feature of many a sci-fi yarn
The latest theory on how the universe will end involves everything being swallowed by a giant wormhole – a scenario dubbed the 'Big Trip'.
According to cosmologist Pedro Gonzalez-Diaz at the Institute of Mathematics and Fundamental Physics, CSIC, Madrid, the gradual inflow of so-called phantom energy into a wormhole could cause it to swell up so much so that it would eventually engulf the entire universe.
Phantom energy is a hypothetical explanation for dark energy; the puzzling stuff thought to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe. The defining property of phantom energy is that its energy density – the amount of energy per unit volume – increases over time.
The energy density of all known matter, by contrast, decreases or remains constant over time. This has led some theorists to suggest that phantom energy will cause the universe to grow ever faster until it eventually “blows up” in a singularity known as the "Big Rip".
Gonzalez-Diaz sees a different end scenario. As phantom energy enters one end of a wormhole, he suggests, the size of the wormhole will increase so rapidly that it will eventually outpace the expansion of the universe itself. As a result, the wormhole would swallow the whole universe before a Big Rip could occur.
"Phantom energy is precisely the form of energy one needs to create a wormhole," Gonzalez-Diaz says. "Wormholes, therefore, would actually be expected components of the space-time foam if dark energy is actually phantom energy. It is natural to study both at the same time."
A wormhole is analogous to a pipe connecting two regions of space or even two parallel universes. Matter entering at one end comes out at the other end, just as a train entering a tunnel pops out elsewhere.
Wormholes were first suggested by Austrian physicist Ludwig Flamm within a year of Einstein publishing his theory of general relativity, as a possible solution to Einstein’s equations. Although no direct evidence has been found for them, wormholes have recently become accepted as a natural consequence of phenomena such as phantom energy.
Other theorists are intrigued by Gonzalez-Diaz's theory, but remain cautious. "The paper deals with a remarkable combination: wormholes and phantom energy," says Christian Armendariz-Picon at Syracuse University, New York, US. "But so far we lack sound theoretical models of phantom energy, so these studies should be regarded as somewhat speculative."
Armendariz-Picon notes that the new theory presents another intriguing question. "Wormholes have two entries," he says. So if phantom energy flows into one entrance, "what happens at the second one?"
A paper outlining Gonzalez-Diaz’s theory has been accepted for publication in Physics Letters B and is available online.
First conceived as a response to Einstein’s theory of relativity, wormholes – which link different parts of space, or even parallel universes – have become a staple feature of many a sci-fi yarn
The latest theory on how the universe will end involves everything being swallowed by a giant wormhole – a scenario dubbed the 'Big Trip'.
According to cosmologist Pedro Gonzalez-Diaz at the Institute of Mathematics and Fundamental Physics, CSIC, Madrid, the gradual inflow of so-called phantom energy into a wormhole could cause it to swell up so much so that it would eventually engulf the entire universe.
Phantom energy is a hypothetical explanation for dark energy; the puzzling stuff thought to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe. The defining property of phantom energy is that its energy density – the amount of energy per unit volume – increases over time.
The energy density of all known matter, by contrast, decreases or remains constant over time. This has led some theorists to suggest that phantom energy will cause the universe to grow ever faster until it eventually “blows up” in a singularity known as the "Big Rip".
Gonzalez-Diaz sees a different end scenario. As phantom energy enters one end of a wormhole, he suggests, the size of the wormhole will increase so rapidly that it will eventually outpace the expansion of the universe itself. As a result, the wormhole would swallow the whole universe before a Big Rip could occur.
"Phantom energy is precisely the form of energy one needs to create a wormhole," Gonzalez-Diaz says. "Wormholes, therefore, would actually be expected components of the space-time foam if dark energy is actually phantom energy. It is natural to study both at the same time."
A wormhole is analogous to a pipe connecting two regions of space or even two parallel universes. Matter entering at one end comes out at the other end, just as a train entering a tunnel pops out elsewhere.
Wormholes were first suggested by Austrian physicist Ludwig Flamm within a year of Einstein publishing his theory of general relativity, as a possible solution to Einstein’s equations. Although no direct evidence has been found for them, wormholes have recently become accepted as a natural consequence of phenomena such as phantom energy.
Other theorists are intrigued by Gonzalez-Diaz's theory, but remain cautious. "The paper deals with a remarkable combination: wormholes and phantom energy," says Christian Armendariz-Picon at Syracuse University, New York, US. "But so far we lack sound theoretical models of phantom energy, so these studies should be regarded as somewhat speculative."
Armendariz-Picon notes that the new theory presents another intriguing question. "Wormholes have two entries," he says. So if phantom energy flows into one entrance, "what happens at the second one?"
A paper outlining Gonzalez-Diaz’s theory has been accepted for publication in Physics Letters B and is available online.
Wooooow...I want one.
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Posted 12 November 2005 - 05:03 PM
