Wormholes, Time Machines, and the Weak Energy Condition

Michael S. Morris, Kip S. Thorne, and Ulvi Yurtsever
Phys. Rev. Lett. 61, 1446 – Published 26 September 1988
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Abstract

It is argued that, if the laws of physics permit an advanced civilization to create and maintain a wormhole in space for interstellar travel, then that wormhole can be converted into a time machine with which causality might be violatable. Whether wormholes can be created and maintained entails deep, ill-understood issues about cosmic censorship, quantum gravity, and quantum field theory, including the question of whether field theory enforces an averaged version of the weak energy condition.

  • Received 21 June 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.61.1446

©1988 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Michael S. Morris, Kip S. Thorne, and Ulvi Yurtsever

  • Theoretical Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125

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Issue

Vol. 61, Iss. 13 — 26 September 1988

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