Wormholes... In Space?

Albert Einstein. We’ve all heard of him and his brilliance in science and mathematics. Somewhere along the way, however, we’ve forgotten about his work with physicist Nathan Rosen on the Einstein-Rosen bridge, more commonly known as a wormhole.

This research began in 1935 and still continues today. The idea was a collaboration of Rosen’s theory of existence and Einstein's theory of general relativity. A wormhole is theoretical passage through spacetime that could create shortcuts for long journeys across the universe. These wormholes connect two different points in spacetime, which could lead to creating a shortcut, reducing time needed for travel. Although this research has come a long way since 1935, it still has a long way to go. Since then scientists have learned that wormholes consist of two “mouths” connected by a “throat” and that each mouth is made up of a black hole.

Many people wonder if it is possible to travel through wormholes as they are microscopically small. Some scientists argue that as the universe expands, the wormholes expand with it, but they also would have to grow a substantial amount. In addition to size, they are believed to be extremely dangerous. Wormholes could contain sufficient exotic matter. They have the potential to collapse quickly, and who knows what they could connect: separate regions within the same universe or even two different universes. Others wonder if wormholes could lead to time travel. Scientists such as Stephen Hawking argue that this is not possible, but research is still underway.

There is still much to be explored in wormhole technology, and today’s technology is too insufficient to enlarge and stabilize wormholes if they were to be found. Scientists continue to explore the concept of finding and utilizing these wormholes and unlocking knowledge and power humans only thought was possible.