Tiny Tunnels
Tiny Tunnels
By Wendy Wippel
A quick check of the internet reveals that there are no less than 39 films that have featured wormholes in their respective plots.
A wormhole being a theoretical passage through space-time that could create shortcuts for moving around the universe. Wormholes, apparently are predicted by the theory of general relativity, but I have never seen one and I am pretty sure neither have you. Nether the less, some scientists now claim that they have.
Wormholes were first theorized in 1916, by an Austrian physicist’s solution to the equations in Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity,. Ludwig Flamm, reading another physicist’s hypotheses, realized that another solution to exactly what a wormhole would look like and how it would facilitate movement through space, was possible. He proposed a “white hole,” –meaning a time reversal of a black hole (then thoroughly imaginary) —with the entrances to both black and white holes and connected by a space-time conduit.
Einstein, based on Flamm’s work, proposed the idea of “bridges” through space-time that could connect two different points, theoretically creating a shortcut that could reduce travel time and distance. The shortcuts came to be called Einstein-Rosen bridges, more popularly known today as a wormholes.
The possibility of wormholes fired up those who paid attention, and the concept has kind of saturated the public through our many forms of modern entertainment: movies, books, TV shows, and so on.
Most popularly? Probably sixty years of Star Trek.
Most recently? Almost certainly through the movie “A Wrinkle in Time”, my favorite book as a kid.
(Before Oprah and Co. took all the references to God and Jesus out of it and renamed the “tesseract”, “the wormhole”.
Which annoys me even though tesseract and wormhole share the exact same meaning. A shortcut through the vast emptiness of space, made by “wrinkling” space-time.
But the last fifty years of hypothesizing have turned up nothing except imagination- fueled entertainment.
Until now.
Indian physicist, Rajibul Shaikh, from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research has determined that a certain class of rotating wormholes, which may be used for space-time travel, cast a specific “shadow.” According to Dr. Shaikh, “The shadow is a dark area, which surrounds the wormhole and could be accessible to direct observation.” If he’s right, the race is on. Wormholes are expected to distort space-time, which is believed to then allow for creation of space-time tunnels in which our next generation of spaceships could, possibly, travel at the speed of light. Or faster.
And Rajibul intends to devote his life for the foreseeable future to finding that shadow that tells him that wormholes are more than science fiction.
I hate to tell him, but I think he’s already been beat to that punch. Because I am pretty sure wormholes are described in the Bible. Like in Second Corinthians 12:21:
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.”
And Mark 9:8: 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
And Luke 2:9 suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them;
And Luke 2:13: Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God,
And Luke 9:30: suddenly there were two men conversing with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.
And Acts 8:39: When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
And Acts 10:30: Cornelius said, “I was offering afternoon prayer in my house, when suddenly a man in shining raiment stood in front of me,
Acts 12:7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell; and, striking Peter on the side, he woke him and said, “Rise quickly.” Instantly the chains dropped off his wrists.
Acts 12:10 And passing through the first ward and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. This opened to them of itself; and, going out, they passed on through one of the streets, and then suddenly the angel left him.
And 2 Kings 2:11: And while they went on their way, going on talking together, suddenly there were carriages and horses of fire separating them from one another and Elijah went up to heaven in a great whirlwind.
And way more saying the same thing involving obscure biblical personages that I could detail here if I hadn’t lost the notebook in which I had them listed.
“The heavens are declaring the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of his hands.” Ps. 19:1
Even today!