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Author Topic:   Is Faster Than Light travel the wrong question?
RickJB
Member (Idle past 4981 days)
Posts: 917
From: London, UK
Joined: 04-14-2006


Message 59 of 81 (533940)
11-03-2009 5:24 PM
Reply to: Message 53 by kbertsche
11-02-2009 8:24 PM


Re: fantasy
kbertsche writes:
But it is equally foolish to think that our experimentally-verified understanding of relativity is completely wrong. And if our understanding of relativity is basically correct, physical travel (i.e. transportation of matter) with large accelerations requires a large amounts of energy. Like it or not, new technologies, new energy sources, or new physics cannot change this. The only way to change this is to disprove our experimentally-verified theories of relativistic dynamics.
Theories are an approximation of "reality" that become more aligned with "reality" as more observations are made. The are significant gaps in our knowledge of both quantum mechanics and relativity, and it is currently thought that both are incomplete pieces of a larger picture. It would truly be foolish to emphatically rule out any means of interstellar travel without further investigation.
Furthermore, the current theories we have need not be proven completely incorrect to accommodate new possibilities. For example, just as Einstein modified Newtonian mechanics, so shall someone in the future modify Relativity.
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 53 by kbertsche, posted 11-02-2009 8:24 PM kbertsche has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 63 by kbertsche, posted 11-03-2009 8:29 PM RickJB has replied

  
RickJB
Member (Idle past 4981 days)
Posts: 917
From: London, UK
Joined: 04-14-2006


Message 66 of 81 (533994)
11-04-2009 7:45 AM
Reply to: Message 63 by kbertsche
11-03-2009 8:29 PM


Re: fantasy
kbertsche writes:
Yes, Newtonian mechanics is still an excellent approximation over the parameter space where it was experimentally verified. And I expect Einsteinian relativity will likewise remain an excellent approximation over the parameter space where it has been experimentally verified.
I agree.
kbertsche writes:
Thus there is no realistic hope of physical travel to distant planets without a tremendous expenditure of energy.
Apparently not, but our current theories are less than 100 years old. Where will these theories be in 10,000 years if humanity is able to maintain scientific development?
There may be a solution, we just don't know it at present.
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

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RickJB
Member (Idle past 4981 days)
Posts: 917
From: London, UK
Joined: 04-14-2006


Message 77 of 81 (534235)
11-06-2009 5:30 AM
Reply to: Message 76 by cavediver
11-05-2009 4:37 PM


Re: Spacetime
Interesting stuff, but I have a question:-
cd writes:
Consider a space-like interval: now on Earth and 2 yrs time on Alpha C.
Where you write "(3^2)-(4^2)=-7", what does the "3" refer to?
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.
Edited by RickJB, : No reason given.

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 Message 76 by cavediver, posted 11-05-2009 4:37 PM cavediver has replied

Replies to this message:
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