Chapter 13: Unlucky for Wormholes in the Universe

or:  Some Creepy Feelings about Wormholes

(Need a diagram or two HERE)

Definition of a wormhole (as imagined by competing theories):  Some conventional theories maintain that a wormhole in space represents a "tunnel" or a "bridge" from one part of this universe to some other part of this or some other universe. It is speculated to be caused by the collapse of matter into a singularity inside a (non C-R) black hole. When the fabric of space-time is stretched like taffy, or alternately like a small portion of a larger soap bubble considered as a sheet of soapy film, the tunnel or the tube-like structure created will attempt to reconnect to some other available area. The analogy would specify a structure something like a handle on a teacup. The handle technically is part of the teacup, but it would not be part of the main globe-like structure. (Still all speculation, too.)

Science fiction writers have used these "wormholes" theorized to exist as a convenient "short-cut1" across space and time. Presumably, what goes in at one end, into a black hole (non C-R), comes out of a corresponding "white-hole" at the other end2.

Some of the present theories of the Universe have suggested that wormholes present a possible solution to the participation of (non C-R) black holes in the order of things. For a wormhole to exist, one of the first things which must occur is that a singularity must exist as the center of a black hole. The C-R theory has already eliminated this from our consideration, but other theories declare it as a viable alternative.

Wormhole-causing Singularity = Pink Elephant

This singularity as a center of a collapsed (non C-R) black hole which has been postulated by other theories is a type of a pink-elephant. None exist for studying, no known laws apply to it, and imagination holds the key.

These competing theories claim that the "lawless3" singularities may create wormholes which possess the ability to pinch-off, stretch-out, or tunnel "down" into space-time. This pinching or stretching would be similar to these analogies: a dull pencil-point stretching the surface of a balloon, blowing air through a straw onto a small section of a sheet of soapy-film, creating a partial soap-bubble, or a sub-string of taffy pulled out of a larger, main pull.

From Theories Proposed By Grown, Educated Men:

In theory (not the C-R theory, however), this stretching or pulling of space-time into another dimension (??!!??) might allow events, matter and energy, and whole areas to be reconnected elsewhere or elsewhen. There could be time bridges or tunnels which would act as shortcuts4 across vast distances in this Universe, or even across other universes.

Hook, Line and Sinker: It's Reel(ing-in) Time

Science fiction writers and some physicists have been free to speculate that parallel realities abound. Each additional universe imagined could be either reassuring or frightening. Some may be made of matter, some of anti-matter. Some may be imagined to obey totally different rules of physics, and some could be imagined to hold alternate probabilities. Those alternate probabilities would be the: If only X, Y, and Z ... had happened, then ... would be the result. Unfortunately, there is vaguely a hint of reality in any wormhole, multiple universe, space-time shortcut type of scenario.

No Strings Attached

Fortunately, we need stretch (or string-out) our imagination no longer. The C-R theory suggests the much simpler answer: Wormholes in space do not exist. They never could exist, they never will exist, they never have existed.

A singularity, created during a gravitational collapse, cannot occur. Therefore, the wormholes, tunnels, and short-cuts5 caused by the stretching of the laws of physics, don't exist either. (Sorry Sci-Fi writers.) This greatly simplifies the existence and the semblance of our very own universe.

Burying Wormholes Forever

In addition, if wormholes did exist, they would cause violations of conservation of energy, momentum, and probably every other conservation law which is still valid. If a massive singularity did pinch-off spacetime and magically transfer it's contents to somewhere and/or somewhen else, many violations of conservation of energy-type events would occur.

One probable violation would occur like this. Any objects left orbiting around the center of the mass of the (non C-R) black hole {resulting from a collapse of matter} would likely possess elliptical orbits. After the wormhole tunneled away the entire contents, these masses would find their guiding gravitational fields gone6.

Once the gravity disappeared, any orbiting masses would each be left with momentum in some random direction, and their angular momentum would be randomly re-established, as well. In addition, any gravitational potential energy which the orbiting masses had exchanged for kinetic energy (orbital speed), would also vary randomly with respect only to the point in the orbit during which the collapse occurred.

Notice that, because of the nature of gravity, the disappearance (or even the translocation or migration) of part of the mass which is the main source of a gravitational field would impart tremendous imbalances into any physical universe's system. Either any event which can cause these imbalances must be forbidden, or the laws of conservation of energy and momentum (which modern physics so patiently and proudly built upon as their solid foundation) must give way to some random chaos as the ultimate force in nature.

A Singularity as a Multiple Headache

Additionally, as if the resulting violation of the law of conservation of matter-energy stated above were not enough, the collapsed matter-energy of the singularity would still remain as a problem-area to be dealt with. If this black hole-collapsed matter and energy were to be regurgitated out of a white hole (and de-collapsed, too?), somewhere else in either our universe, or in some remote corner of some other universe, imbalances would be created there, also.

Any matter residing in the vicinity of the wormhole's matter-dump off point would find itself suddenly in a greater gravitational curvature. The matter in the vicinity might be whipped around by angular momentum created from the seemingly random infusion of foreign matter into the universe.

To introduce additional difficulties if wormholes really exist; would the wormhole ejected matter slingshot or spew violently out from the wormhole/white hole, or would the revived black hole's matter gently ooze out, dutifully mimicking whatever manner the ejecta may have originally entered the black hole at the other end?

Conceivably, if the universe was actively intelligent enough to exactly and perfectly balance out all transfers of matter-energy-momentum-and time-slowdown so that the exact rotational inertia, momentum and gravitational potential energy could be accounted-for or exactly recreated, then this wormhole scenario or tunnelling example might stand up to scrutiny. If this was not the case, then either the entire scenario describing wormhole and mega-distance tunnelling must be thrown out, or all of the most sacred conservation laws of physics must be thrown to the proverbial wolves.

One can see that any alternative to the need for the creation of the singularity has many benefits for scientific society. The order can be restored back to the universe, and science can sleep better at night not worrying about such ill-advised scenarios.

While wormholes represent a very innovative and imaginative solution on the part of those who dreamed them up, there is not a possibility that this can occur unless conservation of energy, momentum, and rotational inertia can take vacations from their law-abiding natures. In the light of these conservation requirements, the C-R theory demands that wormholes cannot occur.

A Shread of Evidence, Its a Blast (Furnace)

Even if wormholes did occur, the perils resulting from them would present themselves as terribly insurmountable obstacles to the traveller. This would be unless you might enjoy jumping your entire anatomy into a situation roughly akin to combining the pleasures of a blast furnace, a garbage disposal, a diamond anvil (high pressure squeeze), a meat grinder, and a particle disintegrator.

If the universe was infinitely more non-Euclidian than we have suspected, and any wormholes and/or tunnels did exist between portions of the universe, would likely take a longer and more hazardous path through space and time than any conventionally existing path, free from any of the possible wormhole perils. Furthermore, unless the universe was infinitely more nonsensical than we have encountered to date, wormholes will remain only as a figment of the imagination.

Place Chart here, For and Against Wormholes.

Chart of Comparative Ridiculousness.