An international team of physicists behind several revolutionary “varp drive” concepts, including the first to require no exotic matter, say recent unprecedented breakthroughs in physics and propulsion have launched world powers into a Space Race-style race. Cold War, 21st century to build the world’s first warp drive.
“We have a space race going on,” said Gianni Martie, the founder of Applied Physics (AP) think tank and co-author on two upcoming warp drive research papers, in an email to Debrief. “There is still IN to discover and invent, but now we have the next steps, which we didn’t have before.”
Comprised of over 30 physicists and scientists in related disciplines, the AP team has gained a considerable reputation in the distortion theory community due to their highly regarded and peer-reviewed papers on numerous concepts of distortion direction . One of those concepts recently reported by Debrief has gained considerable attention, inspiring many researchers and scientists to declare the team’s “constant velocity motion steering model” as the first practical and workable deformation steering concept ever proposed.
The AP team has also created Warp Factory, a set of development and simulation tools that allow other researchers in this nascent field to evaluate the physics of their models, which can greatly improve model quality and stability.
In an effort to better understand the history of warp theory, the scientific viability of the most current concepts of warp direction, what the media always gets wrong about this category of research, and what the next steps in this potential space race might look like , Debrief contacted the team at Applied Physics, resulting in an exchange that suggests futuristic science familiar to viewers of Star Trek it may be closer than we think.
DESCRIPTION: Will humans ever build a working diversion car?
APPLIED PHYSICS: The laws of physics definitely allow functional subluminal warp discs, but not superluminal warp discs. While our constant-velocity warping solution is a promising step, many engineering and material science challenges lie ahead, making the timeline uncertain, but ultimately dependent on humanity, not physics.
TD: Warp machine research recently celebrated 30 years since Mexican theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed the original metric. Has significant progress been made since that first design?
PA: Yes, significant progress has been made. The early 90s models required non-existent exotic materials, which essentially shelved the science. Work in the 90s and 2000s reduced the amount of exotic matter needed, but the models were relatively unchanged and thus always remained non-physical. It wasn’t until 2021 that new classes of warp drives came to light, culminating in the first physical warp solution, meaning it doesn’t use exotic matter.
TD: Will material advancements be required along the way, or do the basic materials to advance to a working diversion machine already exist?
PA: Yes, advances in material science are needed. We require more than just plastic and aluminum to build a warping machine. We are talking about ultra-high-density liquid-like materials. The good news is that our physical solution doesn’t require exotic matter, meaning it can be made with particles that already exist in our universe. However, achieving these extreme densities will require new advances.
TD: You’ve said before that the warp research community is currently very small. Have you seen any trends in the literature that indicate this is changing?
PA: Yes, interest has grown over the past few years. More researchers are spending time on deformation field mechanics, showing a positive trend in community growth. More papers are being written on this topic. Most importantly, warp disks are considered serious science again.
TD: After your well-received study on a stable warp drive dropped this year, have you heard from any researchers who have expressed renewed interest in exploring this work?
PA: Yes, many researchers from around the world have reached out, showing interest in helping develop our Warp Factory code and supporting Warp direction research. We’ve received hundreds of Warp Grant applications and are narrowing down the candidates as we speak.
TD: What is Warp Factory and how can it help researchers in the field?
PA: Warp Factory is an open source numerical relativity tool for designing new warp drive spaces. Most warp drive research to date has been done analytically, which often limits exploration and can take months to analyze even simple solutions. Using Warp Factory, this analysis can be done in minutes while also providing 2D and 3D visualizations. In fact, the use of the Warp Factory was vital to our discovery of the physical solution to the warp, as it was achieved using a largely numerical approach. By providing this tool, we anticipate that creative deformation research will be community-driven in the future.
TD: With Warp-capable vehicles able to act as powerful deterrents in global conflicts, how do you envision warp technology reshaping defense strategies and geopolitical dynamics?
PA: Since it is so early, there is still too much we do not understand about deformation discs to fully understand their geopolitical impact. Could they have military applications? Probably, yes, but until we build them, we don’t know. At this stage, we should focus on further developing our understanding of what is possible in the field of deformation mechanics. There is a lot of research to be done now that the field is physical, so this is definitely the first step. If one day we achieve micro warp propulsion in a lab, it would certainly incur serious defense costs, as no nation can ignore a new means of propulsion. However, we hope that the research remains civil. It would be quite a shame to achieve such technical prowess just to throw stones at high speed when the technology could be used to stimulate GDP and explore new frontiers.
TD: How will a Warp Drive Space Race affect US education?
PA: As with the recent space race, we are expected to see a large increase in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) jobs. This is already happening today, as we see countries like China and India set records in space, making it clear that the US has competition. And competition is good; we need the drive, the excuse to get up in the morning. Both the American and Russian economies benefited greatly from the first space race. Demand for skilled professionals in fields such as advanced engineering, condensed matter physics and strain field mechanics is set to skyrocket, creating millions of new high-quality STEM jobs. This technological renaissance drives innovation, spurs economic growth, and positions these nations at the forefront of the next great leap in human civilization.
TD: What is Applied Physics doing next in their warp research?
PA: Applied Physics is continuing to explore new types of warp drives, which we hope to share with the community soon. We are currently researching the unique ways that warp disks accelerate and evolve over time compared to traditional propulsion methods.
TD: Have we entered the Warp Age? If so, has a Warp Drive Space Race already started?
PA: Humanity has taken small steps towards the age of warping from a theoretical perspective, and recent efforts show that we can make progress in this area. As for a new space race, not yet, but interest is growing. China published the distortion papers shortly after our paper came out, and they have invested heavily in space.
TD: In the 20th century Cold War space race, many credit the USSR’s 1957 launch of Sputnik as the key event that set things in motion. What might Sputnik’s moment in the Warp drive race look like in space?
PA: The “Sputnik Moment” for warp drives would be the first successful demonstration of warp drive, sparking investment and interest similar to the original space race. This is likely a miniature “micro warp” laboratory prototype.
TD: If the US government were to authorize a Manhattan Project-style budget for warp research, what might the first steps of that effort look like?
PA: It’s only a matter of time before warp drives become part of defense spending, as science has proven. Initial steps will include setting up a state-of-the-art research facility, attracting the best scientists and focusing on solving key theoretical and engineering challenges. Since deformation field mechanics represents a new physical science, there is a lot of low-hanging fruit with much to discover, as the floodgates have just opened. This would be the second official government funding for Warp Drive technology, after Eagleworks Laboratories was established by NASA in 2012.
TD: Lastly, what final message, if any, would you like to convey to those hoping to see a working warp drive become a reality?
PA: The dawn of the Warp Age marks a pivotal moment in human history, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges. As we navigate this new frontier, the balance between innovation and responsibility will be crucial in shaping a future that harnesses the benefits of warp technology while ensuring a sustainable and peaceful world.
Christopher Plain is a science fiction and fantasy novelist and chief science writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com or email directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.