Wormhole travel may soon be possible using science straight out of a Christopher Nolan film
The idea of wormholes as structures that can connect two points in spacetime, has fascinated scientists and sci-fi writers for decades. Now, a physicist named Hatim Salih has proposed a way to potentially create a traversable wormhole, using a process called counterportation.
The search for other habitable planets beyond our solar system is one of the most exciting quests of modern science, but the biggest hurdle we face is the vast distances between stars. However, a new study published by quantum physicist and honorary research fellow at the University of Bristol’s Quantum Engineering Technology Labs, Hatim Salih, proposes a way to create a real-life traversable wormhole, a hypothetical structure that can connect two points in spacetime.
Wormholes, also known as Einstein-Rosen bridges, are features consistent with Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. They are also a popular topic in science fiction as they offer a way to travel faster than the speed of light. While researchers have made recent breakthroughs with simulated wormholes, nobody has ever generated a real one in the laboratory, or identified one in the cosmos.
The newly proposed experiment would involve ‘counterportation', a technique that uses quantum mechanics to transport information across space without exchanging any particles. Salih suggests that by copying someone's consciousness into a quantum object, it may be possible to transport them from one place to another, essentially creating a real bridge across spacetime.
Counterportation is a portmanteau of "counterfactual" and "transportation," which describes a way to send messages between two points without exchanging any particles. By sending light through a quantum system that's been frozen in an "off" state by constant observation, scientists can reconstruct information on the other end without the need for any exchanged particles.
The key concept behind Salih's proposal is that if someone's consciousness is copied into a quantum object, and if this thing has a subjective experience, then it possibly could tell us what it feels like to go through a wormhole. Salih believes that a special kind of quantum computer could be used to create a traversable wormhole, providing evidence for the existence of an underlying physical reality.
Salih's proposed experiment involves copying a person's consciousness, like a strong AI, into a quantum object, and counterporting each qubit to transport them from one place to another. If the person has a subjective experience, they could tell us what it feels like to go through a wormhole. Salih envisions using a special kind of quantum computer to make the traversable wormhole, which could provide evidence for the existence of an underlying physical reality.
Counterportation achieves the same disembodied transport across space as quantum teleportation, without the pre-entanglement setup. In other words, scientists send light, which is a wave in the quantum realm, through a quantum system that's been frozen in an "off" state by constant observation, where it hits detectors in a predictable manner, standing in for bits. This lets scientists reconstruct information on the other end without it even being on, or any electricity or particles being sent.
Salih's concept of particle-free communication has been demonstrated in laboratory conditions by a team of scientists in China, who were able to send a bitmap image from one location to another without any meaningful exchange of particles. Salih's proposed experiment could build on this breakthrough and offer new insights into the nature of reality.
Salih's idea of copying a person's consciousness into a quantum object is reminiscent of Avatar, where humans create avatars of themselves to explore the planet Pandora, which has a toxic atmosphere. The avatars are connected to the humans' minds, allowing them to control them remotely. Similarly, Salih's experiment would involve copying a person's consciousness and transporting it through a wormhole.
The concept of wormholes and faster-than-light travel is also popular in science fiction. In the Star Trek universe, the crew of the USS Enterprise uses a device called a "warp drive" to travel faster than the speed of light. The warp drive generates a field that distorts space-time, allowing the ship to move through space at incredible speeds. If Salih's experiment succeeds, it could offer a way to create a real-life warp drive and explore the universe at a much faster pace.
Salih's proposed experiment also raises ethical questions about copying a person's consciousness into a quantum object. Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige explores a similar concept, where a magician creates a copy of himself every time he performs a magic trick. The copies are exact replicas of the original, but only one can survive. Similarly, Salih's experiment raises questions about the nature of consciousness and identity, and whether it's ethical to create copies of people without their consent.
Salih's proposed experiment offers a tantalizing glimpse into the possibilities of wormholes and faster-than-light travel. While the experiment is still in the theoretical stage, it could open up entirely new windows into the nature of reality and offer a form of teleportation that could revolutionize what we know and understand about traversing space and time.