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> To put this into context, we’ll catch you up to (warp) speed. The colloquial term “warp drive” comes from science fiction, most famously Star Trek. The Federa
by vanderZwan 6y ago
> To put this into context, we’ll catch you up to (warp) speed. The colloquial term “warp drive” comes from science fiction, most famously Star Trek. The Federation’s FTL warp drive works by colliding matter and antimatter and converting the explosive energy to propulsion. Star Trek suggests this extraordinary power alone pushes the ship at FTL speeds.
I'm surprised that so far nobody here has complained that they got the Star Trek trivia wrong! I don't remember the details but there's plenty of exotic matter and energy involved in the handwaving that's supposed to explain how warp bubbles form in Star Trek.
- Doxin 6y agoAs far as I've gleamed from watching star trek the "warp core" is really just a power plant. It's the nacelles doing the propelling.
- vanderZwan 6y agoYeah but doesn't the warp core also require "dilithium crystals" to run? But still, fair point: that does suggest "warp core" is a bit of a misnomer. Then again, we all know the difficulty of naming things properly ;)
- Doxin 6y agoWell I suppose if a warp core is the only reactor powerful enough to produce enough of the right kind of power to power the nacelles it's probably still an apt name. I mean there's plenty of times in the series where the warp core stops working, but all the lights are still on. So presumably there's a primary power generator somewhere for everything that isn't warp drive.