tachyons
Hypothetical superluminal particles
Tachyons are hypothetical particles that travel faster than light.
In physics, they exist only as theoretical constructs—if real, they would violate causality by moving backward through time.
Science fiction uses tachyons freely as plot devices for faster-than-light communication or travel: The ship's tachyon drive could cross galaxies in hours.
Assumed but unproven
- faster-than-lightExceeding light's velocity
- superluminalExceeding light's speed
- time travelMovement across temporal points
- paradoxSeemingly absurd truth
Theory uniting space, time
- spacetimeMerged dimensional framework
- causalityCause-effect connection
- time dilationClocks slow at speed
- frame of referenceContext for judgment
Uncharged, near-massless particle
- quarkFundamental matter particle
- leptonFundamental particle without strong interactions
- bosonInteger-spin subatomic particle
- fermionHalf-integer spin particle
gluon · meson · baryon · hadron · muon · photon · graviton · antiparticle
Speculative fiction with technological themes
- Star TrekSpacefaring TV franchise
- warp driveHypothetical superluminal propulsion system
- subspaceSubset forming smaller space
- time travelMovement across temporal points
interstellar · Watchmen · Babylon 5 · Ghostbusters · Mass Effect · technobabble · plot device
Sustained price level increase
- string theoryFilament-based particle framework
- dark energyForce accelerating universal expansion
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
hypothetical
Assumed but unproven
- faster-than-lightExceeding light's velocity
- superluminalExceeding light's speed
- time travelMovement across temporal points
special relativity
Theory uniting space, time
- spacetimeMerged dimensional framework
- causalityCause-effect connection
- time dilationClocks slow at speed
neutrino
Uncharged, near-massless particle
- quarkFundamental matter particle
- leptonFundamental particle without strong interactions
- bosonInteger-spin subatomic particle
fermion · gluon · meson · baryon · hadron · muon · photon · graviton · antiparticle · electron
science fiction
Speculative fiction with technological themes
- Star TrekSpacefaring TV franchise
- warp driveHypothetical superluminal propulsion system
- subspaceSubset forming smaller space
time travel · interstellar · Watchmen · Babylon 5 · Ghostbusters · Mass Effect · technobabble · plot device
inflation
Sustained price level increase
- string theoryFilament-based particle framework
- dark energyForce accelerating universal expansion
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- sci-fi techteleporter, time travel, cryonics, force fields, time machine
- particleselectrons, electron, protons, proton, neutrons
- pseudosciencehomeopathy, astrology, phrenology, numerology, palmistry
- string theorystring theory, superstring theory, superstrings, strings, open strings
- cosmic mysteriesdark matter, dark energy, black holes, Big Bang, cosmic inflation
- Space Propulsionhyperdrive, warp drive, jump drive, rocket engine, nuclear propulsion