tachyon
Hypothetical superluminal particle
A tachyon is a hypothetical particle that travels faster than light.
In physics, tachyons emerge from certain theoretical frameworks but have never been observed—their existence would challenge fundamental assumptions about causality and relativity.
Science fiction uses tachyons liberally for faster-than-light communication and travel: The ship's tachyon drive engaged.
Exceeding light's velocity
- superluminalExceeding light's speed
- space-likeResembling outer void
- antiparticleOpposite-charge subatomic twin
- quantumSmallest discrete unit
lepton · boson · fermion · neutrino · photon · quark · gluon · meson
Movement across temporal points
- grandfather paradoxTime travel logical contradiction
- causal loopSelf-causing temporal cycle
- temporal paradoxLogical impossibility involving time
- pastTime already gone
future · timeline · chronology · sequence · signal · information transfer
Hypothetical superluminal propulsion system
- FTLExceeding light speed
- hyperspaceFaster-than-light travel medium
- subspaceSubset forming smaller space
- interstellar communicationExchanging information across stellar distances
Star Trek · science fiction · technobabble · plot device · sensor array · transmission · propulsion · flux capacitor
Assumed but unproven
- speculativeBased on conjecture
- unprovenNot yet established
- conjecturalBased on incomplete evidence
- postulatedAssumed for argument's sake
undetected · paradox · thought experiment · conjecture · theoretical physics · impossibility · violation · untested
Theory uniting space, time
- time dilationClocks slow at speed
- reference frameBasis for measuring position
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
- energyPower to do work
faster-than-light
Exceeding light's velocity
- superluminalExceeding light's speed
- space-likeResembling outer void
- antiparticleOpposite-charge subatomic twin
quantum · lepton · boson · fermion · neutrino · photon · quark · gluon · meson · hadron
time travel
Movement across temporal points
- grandfather paradoxTime travel logical contradiction
- causal loopSelf-causing temporal cycle
- temporal paradoxLogical impossibility involving time
past · future · timeline · chronology · sequence · signal · information transfer
warp drive
Hypothetical superluminal propulsion system
- FTLExceeding light speed
- hyperspaceFaster-than-light travel medium
- subspaceSubset forming smaller space
interstellar communication · Star Trek · science fiction · technobabble · plot device · sensor array · transmission · propulsion · flux capacitor
hypothetical
Assumed but unproven
- speculativeBased on conjecture
- unprovenNot yet established
- conjecturalBased on incomplete evidence
postulated · undetected · paradox · thought experiment · conjecture · theoretical physics · impossibility · violation · untested · unverified
special relativity
Theory uniting space, time
- time dilationClocks slow at speed
- reference frameBasis for measuring position
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
energy · wave function · relativistic · mass-energy · spacetime
- particleselectrons, electron, protons, proton, neutrons
- time traveltime machine, time loop, time jump, time slip, causal loop
- string theorystring theory, superstring theory, superstrings, strings, open strings
- obsolete sciencephlogiston, aether, phlogiston theory, ether, caloric
- Space Propulsionhyperdrive, warp drive, jump drive, rocket engine, nuclear propulsion
- theoretical conceptsblack hole, wormhole, parallel universe, multiverse, dark matter