A wormhole is a theoretical tunnel that might give us the ability to travel through space. Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity predicts they exist and film makers have jumped on the idea, using wormholes to get their characters from planet to planet.
The best illustration I can give of the way a wormhole works is to imagine a piece of paper that is bent over on itself. When weight is place on top, the two parts of the paper sag against each other. When the bulges meet, a wormhole forms, which would then be a shortcut through space.
Here’s a video that gives a simple explanation of the way a wormhole works. (it’s probably easier to understand if you see an example)
My first introduction to wormholes was while watching Farscape. The hero, John Crichton leaves Earth in his space ship, enters a wormhole by mistake and when he comes out the other end, he hits an alien space ship, killing the pilot in error. Once he’s through the wormhole it disappears, leaving him trapped light years from Earth. Thus starts his journey through space as he tries to return to Earth and outrun the pilot’s brother who wants revenge.
Here’s a video of the opening scene of Farscape and John’s journey through the wormhole. It’s quite long, but I enjoyed seeing it again.
Farscape Introduction and Wormhole
In the case of Farscape, the wormholes are very unstable and appear and disappear, seemingly at will. This creates a danger to the people who are attempting to travel through the wormhole. If it disappears while they’re inside they’ll go splat! – never to be seen again.
Other TV shows such as Stargate and Stargate Atlantis use a form of wormholes called a gate to travel over vast distances. The gates are far more stable than the traditional wormhole with travelers dialing up a destination. Here’s a video of a Stargate wormhole.
In truth, no one has ever seen a wormhole. No one is sure they exist, although I like to think they’re possible and have used them in my sci-fi stories.
What is your favorite sci-fi TV show or movie? Do they use wormholes as a method of rapid transit?
Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and dabbles in writing sci-fi erotic romances. Her most recent release is House of the Cat, which is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com
