Could We Find a Door To A Parallel Universe?

p1234 writes "Though no direct evidence for wormholes has been observed, this could be because they are disguised as black holes. Now Alexander Shatskiy of the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow, Russia, is suggesting a possible way to tell the two kinds of object apart. His idea assumes the existence of a bizarre substance called "phantom matter", which has been proposed to explain how wormholes might stay open. Phantom matter has negative energy and negative mass, so it creates a repulsive effect that prevents the wormhole closing. 'US expert Dr Lawrence Krauss, from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, points out that the idea rests on untested assumptions. He told New Scientist magazine: "It is an interesting attempt to actually think of what a real signature for a wormhole would be, but it is more hypothetical than observational. Without any idea of what phantom matter is and its possible interactions with light, it is not clear one can provide a general argument."'"

Yes, it's called the "portal"

[Anonymous Coward]

Geesh, this isn't new news, it happened back in the 1960's... as I recall it was on stardate 3134.0
we sent a captain, a doctor, and a scientist through the portal. Geesh, people have been talking about it for 40 years now.

Sorry guys, can't resist

[CrazyJim1]

In Soviet Russia, the door to a parallel universe finds us.

It's the Beard.

[0100010001010011]

"possible way to tell the two kinds of object apart"

It's the beard. We've known this for some time.

Re:Most useless press release ever

[An. (Coward)]

Evidence schmevidence, I for one won't believe in any of this black hole nonsense until I actually see one.

Does any of this matter really matter?

[Stanislav_J]

We had "anti-matter," "dark matter," now "phantom matter." Jesus, is there anything substantial and real in physics anymore? As the years go on, physics starts to sound less and less like science and more and more like "Alice in Wonderland." Everything seems to hinge on things we can't see, or can't measure, or can't prove. Unless some of this mumbo jumbo can give me eternal life, make women throw themselves at me, or build a better and more luscious cheeseburger, I'm not interested.

Re:Most useless press release ever

[PinkPanther]

I for one won't believe in any of this black hole nonsense until I actually see one

I was going to post a Google Images link, but without SafeSearch the result list isn't exactly what you might expect...

Re:What a Ride!

[kylben]

Yeah, but he should do it in a barrel, from the Canadian side.

Re:Most useless press release ever

[omega_dk]

Maybe with *your* saved search history. What? Google has to use the information they save from your browsing somehow :-)

The Existence of Phantom Matter has been Proven

[DoctorMabuse]

Phantom matter can be observed but only for a limited time. A wormhole can only stay open stay open for 38 minutes, unless the O'Neill power booster is connected to the power supply to the gate.

Re:Most useless press release ever

[ptbarnett]

Evidence schmevidence, I for one won't believe in any of this black hole nonsense until I actually see one.

Warning! Do not look into black hole with remaining eye!

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20080131 [userfriendly.org]

Re:Most useless press release ever

[HAKdragon]

Lionel Hutz: We have a lot of hearsay and conjecture. Those are kinds of evidence.

Re:Sorry guys, can't resist

[Namlak]

Actually, in Soviet Russia, the parallel universe find a door to YOU!

Re:Most useless press release ever

[gad_zuki!]

>How about publicizing actual discoveries instead of random speculation?

You must be new here.

Re:The only universe that exists is the one you're

[KDR_11k]

I guess we're all too stupid to understand the Timecube...

Re:Sqrt(Negative energy) = head hurts

[Anonymous Coward]

I disagree. Onion rings can give you bad breath and so would be divisive in any closed group in 3 dimensional space.

Hawking radiation

[sm62704]

Radiation here! Radiation! Get yer radiation! Here ya go buddy, that'll be $3.50. Radiation! Get yer readiation!