We all know what a bridge is, right? It gets you from Point A to Point B by crossing over something that could pose as an obstacle. Reading this, you might be thinking, what’s so interesting about a bridge?
I suppose bridges on Earth aren’t too exciting, but what about a cosmic bridge? Now you may be thinking, what’s a cosmic bridge? Is it a bridge between planets? Stars? Zodiac signs, even? A bridge from Aries to Taurus?Â
Sadly no, it’s not any of those. Actually, a cosmic bridge isn’t a bridge at all. It’s a pathway.
What I just introduced you to is something called the Einstein-Rosen Bridge—a space-time theory. Now you may be asking, what’s so interesting about a space-time theory that’s referred to as a cosmic bridge?
Here’s my first question to you in response: Have you ever considered the possibility of time travel? If you have, you may already know this theory. If you haven’t, here’s the best introduction to the possibility of time travel.
As stated before, the cosmic bridge is actually a pathway, scientifically known as a wormhole. A normal bridge on Earth gets you from relative points of Point A to Point B, while a cosmic bridge—the theoretical wormhole—gets you through different distant points in the universe using space-time…again, theoretically.
Using the equations of general relativity as a basis, Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen proposed the possibility of this theory. In this theory, this hypothetical wormhole can be used as a shortcut between distant points in the universe, but what and where are these wormholes?
Wormholes, theoretically, are tunnel-like structures in space. For a wormhole to just exist, exotic matter must exist to keep the wormhole from collapsing and exotic matter has not yet been observed. Further expanding on the theoretical existence of a wormhole, it is believed that to travel through one, one must enter a black hole and exit from a white hole. Though even the existence of white holes is only a theory still and no one has successfully traveled through a black hole…yet.
To understand this better, we have to unravel the existence of space-time and general relativity. Space-time is four-dimensional and comprises three dimensions of space and one of time, while general relativity is the theory that massive objects cause a distortion in space-time, also known as gravity.
Even though traveling in space is possible, it is extremely time-consuming and can take light years. Let me put this into perspective… one light-year is a distance of about 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers)—if you were going 60 mph, it would take 11 million years to complete one light-year. Considering that, imagine now that many distances in space require dozens or even hundreds of light-years to reach by the standard of our current technology and resources as humans.
The theory and possibility of wormholes existing would advance scientific possibilities and discoveries beyond our wildest dreams, allowing us to travel millions of light years in a matter of seconds. However, the possibility of time traveling is a further reach than the possibility of the existence of a wormhole.
Per the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, there are two types of wormholes, and one is more likely than the other. The first category is traversable and the second is non-traversable, and sadly, the non-traversable variance is more plausible when applied to the Einstein-Rosen Bridge theory. As it sounds, traversable allows for the possibility of more advanced space and time travel, while non-traversable does not because the tunnel is theorized to collapse too quickly before anything has the chance to cross from one end to the next.
Put simply, the cosmic bridge is a theoretical pathway constructed of a wormhole and could introduce the possibility of advanced space and time travel by connecting distant points in space. However, as amazing as it sounds, there are many complications and challenges when even theorizing the possibility of a wormhole considering that it easily collapses, exotic matter must exist for it to not collapse, and many other factors.
But hey, maybe one day we’ll have more than just the bridges on Earth and expand into the cosmos.
