It is believed that a wormhole serves, hypothetically, to connect two points within the universe . The theory maintains that, if matter falls into that tunnel , it would arrive from an initial black hole to the opposite end, which could be understood as a white hole .
Wormhole is the expression introduced in 1957 by the North American John Archibald Wheeler (whose valuable legacy ranges from contributions related to wormholes to discoveries about the so-called S matrix that is used in quantum mechanics and is fundamental for particle physics . ) when developing a specialized article with his colleague Charles Misner . Thus, with this concept, he identified the entities that, in 1916, prompted the Austrian Ludwig Flamm to propose a hypothesis linked to the until then theoretical idea of a black hole on which the German astronomer, mathematician and physicist Karl Schwarzschild worked.
As has been established over time, the wormhole to which Flamm alluded was detected from the event horizon produced by the gravitational implosions associated with the aforementioned black holes . Later, the notion of the Einstein-Rosen bridge , which was born based on studies by Albert Einstein and the Israeli Nathan Rosen, became relevant.
Although there are multiple types of wormhole (classifications which we will delve into in future paragraphs), it is necessary to be clear that a hypothetical root structure is defined in this way that is positioned as a possible tool to solve the field equations. of Einstein linked to the theory of general relativity . The structure in question is associated with a space-time whose topological space is qualified as multiply connected.
Wormhole classes
Beyond the Einstein-Rosen bridge or wormhole, there are other types of wormholes .
One of the categories is known as a Lorentz wormhole . Those who have studied it point out that it can be crossed both backwards (in the direction of the past) and forwards (future) and that its mass is negative. It could be suitable for achieving connections with multiverses and, therefore, allowing someone to travel in time and space thanks to a special modality called a traversable wormhole .
It is also enriching to know that there is a distinction between interuniverse wormholes (also called Schwarzschild wormholes and indicated as keys to eventually moving to a parallel universe ) and intrauniverse wormholes (to connect positions within a same universe but with unequal times).
Euclidean wormholes are another of the recognized and analyzed groups.
The Einstein-Rosen wormhole could function as a time travel machine since, by connecting two spaces and moments, at some point a journey into the future at the speed of light may be achieved or we may travel towards a certain time.
Considerations of Stephen Hawking
When collecting useful data about black holes and researching wormholes, it is important to know or remember Stephen Hawking 's thoughts on the matter.
This prestigious cosmologist, astrophysicist, scientific communicator and theoretical physicist, throughout his career, made contributions concerning the gravitational singularity and postulated Hawking radiation , which speaks of radiation that is produced near the event horizon of a certain black hole. as a consequence of questions of quantum order. In the last part of his existence, in any case, Hawking asserted that black holes , as they have been known and studied historically, do not exist because they would lack, according to his analysis, event horizons and would not be reached. to destroy the information in them. Yes, the expert considered, there is a space in them, called the "apparent horizon" where both energy and matter would be temporarily trapped, re-emerging as radiation .
From his hand, the paradox of information in black holes gained notoriety, a theory oriented towards the belief in the impossibility of exit for everything that enters a black hole . Such thinking, in accordance with the laws of thermodynamics but opposed to essential principles that govern quantum mechanics , could be explained and answered by paying attention to string theory . Through a study, what was described as "fluff ball theory" was positioned as the most appropriate solution to the motorized paradox by Hawking . This research could even be immensely useful when solving old mysteries linked to cosmology , it was indicated when publicly announcing the conclusions of that work.
Since the beginning of the universe there have been black holes, according to experts who analyzed the particularities of the most distant and oldest supermassive black hole to date, whose formation dates back many times after the Big Bang occurred.
Findings and challenges associated with wormholes
Wormholes continue to be an interesting object of study. In recent decades there have been discoveries but the challenges linked to them have also increased.
In a laboratory, as reported between 2022 and 2023 , a technique has been developed to simulate a wormhole from a tunnel capable of connecting a pair of space-time zones.
From the creative level of science fiction , meanwhile, it has been suggested that a wormhole could well mean a shortcut or circulation route to link two points in space that are far from each other. And there is also no shortage of beliefs that link extraterrestrial beings with wormholes , suggesting in this framework that they could be resources used by aliens to travel to Earth .