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Faster-than-light (superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than the speed of light (c). The special theory of relativity implies that only particles with zero rest mass (i.e., photons ) may travel at the speed of light, and that nothing may travel faster.
In special relativity, a faster-than-light particle would have spacelike four-momentum, [3] unlike ordinary particles that have time-like four-momentum. While some theories suggest the mass of tachyons is imaginary , modern formulations often consider their mass to be real, [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] with redefined formulas for momentum and energy.
Another quantum effect that predicts the occurrence of faster-than-light speeds is called the Hartman effect: under certain conditions the time needed for a virtual particle to tunnel through a barrier is constant, regardless of the thickness of the barrier. [50] [51] This could result in a virtual particle crossing a large gap faster than ...
In science fiction, hyperspace (also known as nulspace, subspace, overspace, jumpspace and similar terms) is a concept relating to higher dimensions as well as parallel universes and a faster-than-light (FTL) method of interstellar travel. In its original meaning, the term hyperspace was simply a synonym for higher-dimensional space.
Thus, because the energy density is negative, one needs exotic matter to travel more quickly than the speed of light. [5] The existence of exotic matter is not theoretically ruled out; however, generating and sustaining enough exotic matter to perform feats such as faster-than-light travel (and to keep open the "throat" of a wormhole ) is ...
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The impossibility of faster-than-light relative speed applies only locally. Wormholes might allow effective superluminal (faster-than-light) travel by ensuring that the speed of light is not exceeded locally at any time. While traveling through a wormhole, subluminal (slower-than-light) speeds are used.