Called wormholes, or Einstein-Rosen bridges, these Universal oddities are thought to be bridges that can tunnel through spacetime and link distant points.
According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, wormholes are theoretically possible. While none have been observed, they represent a nexus where the laws that govern quantum mechanics and classical mechanics converge. In essence, the discovery and understanding of wormholes could lead to a unification of quantum and classical mechanics – the holy grail of modern physics.
In an effort to determine whether wormholes exist, researchers will be using a new telescope named GRAVITY to peer into the infrared spectrum of Sagittarius A*, which some believe is a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
While Sagittarius A* may be a black hole, other astronomers believe Sagittarius A* could be a wormhole in disguise. According to observations, Sagittarius A* is actually quite small in astronomical terms, spanning a space no larger than the orbit of Mercury while still carrying a mass 4 million times greater than our Sun.
To determine which side of the phenomenal coin Sagittarius A* represents, researchers will use their new telescope to capture a snapshot of the infrared light emitted by this behemoth. If the emissions differ from that of previously spied black holes scientists might have credible evidence to confirm the theoretical idea of wormholes.
While confirmation of wormhole existence would be a major leap in astrophysics, it doesn’t mean that travelling across galaxies will be as simple as heading towards an event horizon. Wormholes are an inherently unstable physical phenomenon and that instability could vaporize or tear any entering matter to shreds, let alone leave you stranded in a spacetime hinterland. For that and many more reasons, the use of wormholes to travel through spacetime will likely remain science fantasy.
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia