Understanding How a Tesseract Works for Travel: Theories, Formulas, and More

In summary, the concept of a tesseract involves a geometric shape with a fourth line at its corner, pointing in a direction that is not visible or imaginable to us 3-D beings. This shape holds potential for travel by bypassing traditional movement through space and time. The idea was introduced in the book "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeline L'Engle, and some have drawn parallels between tesseracts and modern concepts such as wormholes and branes.
  • #1
marlo
could anyone explain to me how a tesseract works as far as travel is concerned? are there any articles, theories, or better yet, any formulas associated with this concept? i'd love to hear them.
 
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  • #2
Welcome to the Forums Marlo!

Tesseracts are simply geometric shapes, and their importance to travel is not a direct relationship. They are often reffered to as a "4-D Cube"; just as a square has two lines that come together at each corner, each at 90o to the other, and a cube has three lines in that same relationship, a tesseract has a fourth line at its corner which is at right-angle to the other three.

The important thing to travel would be that, since we can logically deduce the existence of such a shape (even though we can't see it or even "picture" it), it is rational to state that that "fuorth line" does exist, and the direction in which it points is one not visible, nor even "envisionable" to us 3-D critters. If we could find a way to point ourselves in that direction, we could take a trip without moving through the space (and therefore the time) with which we are familliar. This would certainly put a new "Wrinkle" on travel!

(BTW; Say 'hi' to Aunt Beast for me, wouldya?)
 
  • #3
You must be a Madeline L'Engle fan... and I must be a mean jerk who says jerky things.

eNtRopY
 
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  • #4
Any links about this? Seems interesting.
 
  • #5
Did Madeline L'Engle intend tesseracts for what we call "wormholes" today?
 
  • #6
Originally posted by Loren Booda
Did Madeline L'Engle intend tesseracts for what we call "wormholes" today?

I honestly haven't read A Wrinkle in Time since the fourth grade... and that was like 17 years ago... Jeez I'm old.

Anyway, I don't remember exactly how time travel was possible in that book, but I do remember it involved wrinkling the space-time continuum so that a time traveller wouldn't have to take the long route. I remember the analogy given was wrinkling a piece of fabric so that an ant could walk from end-to-end without having to traverse the middle.

eNtRopY
 
  • #7
"Wrinkles" sound like branes; the parallel dimensionality of the latter short-circuits E-M space through gravity.
 

1. What is a tesseract?

A tesseract is a four-dimensional geometric shape, also known as a hypercube. It is the four-dimensional equivalent of a cube, just as a cube is the three-dimensional equivalent of a square.

2. How does a tesseract work for travel?

The concept of a tesseract being used for travel is based on the theory of higher dimensions and the possibility of traveling through them. In this theory, a tesseract is used as a portal to travel through the fourth dimension, allowing for faster and more efficient travel through space and time.

3. What are some theories about how a tesseract works?

There are several theories surrounding the mechanics of a tesseract for travel. Some suggest that it allows for shortcuts through space-time, while others propose that it creates a wormhole or folds space to create a bridge between two points. However, these are purely theoretical and have not been proven.

4. Are there any formulas or equations associated with a tesseract?

Yes, there are several equations and formulas related to tesseracts, including the Schläfli symbol, which represents the number of sides and dimensions of a tesseract, and the tesseract projection formula, which maps a tesseract onto a two-dimensional plane for visualization purposes.

5. Is there any real-world evidence for the existence of a tesseract?

While the concept of a tesseract is widely accepted in mathematics and theoretical physics, there is currently no concrete evidence for its existence in the real world. However, some scientists believe that it may be possible to observe or create a tesseract in a controlled environment in the future.

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