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by thenonsequitur 5125 days ago
Given the amount of focus the physics world is putting on string theory right now, and given that hidden dimensions offer us the possibility of a mathematical basis for warp drive, I wouldn't be shocked if a theoretical blueprint for an actual warp drive is created sometime this century. Even if that happens though, I doubt it will become viable technology this century simply because the energy requirements to bend space-time (at a macro level) via a hidden dimension are literally astronomical. I'd wager that coming up with an energy source for warp technology is actually a harder problem than warp technology itself.

As for transporter technology, I don't even think we have the beginning of the science behind that, so I think that's even more distant from today's science than warp drive engineering.