Are warp drives science now?

[C C]

Faster-than-light travel could work within Einstein's physics, astrophysicist shows
https://www.sciencealert.com/faster-than...cist-shows

EXCERPTS: . . . There are some problems with this notion, however. Within conventional physics, in accordance with Albert Einstein's theories of relativity, there's no real way to reach or exceed the speed of light, which is something we'd need for any journey measured in light-years.

That hasn't stopped physicists from trying to break this universal speed limit, though. While pushing matter past the speed of light will always be a big no-no, spacetime itself has no such rule. In fact, the far reaches of the Universe are already stretching away faster than its light could ever hope to match.

To bend a small bubble of space in a similar fashion for transport purposes, we'd need to solve relativity's equations to create a density of energy that's lower than the emptiness of space. While this kind of negative energy happens on a quantum scale, piling up enough in the form of 'negative mass' is still a realm for exotic physics.

[...] In the recent work, Lentz proposes one such way we might be able to do this, thanks to what he calls a new class of hyper-fast solitons – a kind of wave that maintains its shape and energy while moving at a constant velocity (and in this case, a velocity faster than light).

According to Lentz's theoretical calculations, these hyper-fast soliton solutions can exist within general relativity, and are sourced purely from positive energy densities, meaning there's no need to consider exotic negative-energy-density sources that haven't yet been verified.

With sufficient energy, configurations of these solitons could function as 'warp bubbles', capable of superluminal motion, and theoretically enabling an object to pass through space-time while shielded from extreme tidal forces.

It's an impressive feat of theoretical gymnastics, although the amount of energy needed means this warp drive is only a hypothetical possibility for now... (MORE - missing details)

Are warp drives science now? ... https://youtu.be/YdVIBlyiyBA

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/YdVIBlyiyBA

[Magical Realist]

With sufficient energy, configurations of these solitons could function as 'warp bubbles', capable of superluminal motion, and theoretically enabling an object to pass through space-time while shielded from extreme tidal forces.

I just knew there was a loophole around Einstein's cosmic speed limit. I wonder if time travel would be one of inevitable side effects of supraluminal travel.

[Kornee]

Unpaywalled article at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.07125v2
Don't know if the author's hypothetical 'Einstein-Maxwell plasma' explicitly relies on GR horizons, but if it does, it's doomed from the outset. No such horizons can exist, as I have shown elsewhere.
Even if horizons aren't a prerequisite, seems obvious any 'superluminal travel' will be bounded to within the physical extent of the generated plasma region. Evidently ~ 100m diameter as goal.
As the author's predicted mass-energy requirement currently stands at ~ 0.1 solar masses, clearly not feasible on that criteria alone.

Then there is the critical issue of stability of such a monstrosity. Like Einstein's folly of inventing lambda to create an eternally static universe, which iirc Friedmann showed early on would be inherently unstable against the slightest perturbation. Probably a far more severe problem here.

Assuming all that solved somehow, the basic fact remains if the system is everywhere positive energy, then transport at superluminal speed necessarily means supeluminal transport of positive mass. Which opens up time travel paradoxes and similar can of worms issues. Expect his theory will be or already has been shot down by other theorists. Yet the appeal is so alluring research grants will continue to be given out.
Stop press: Just watched YouTube vid by Sabine Hossenfelder. Pretty much agree, but share none of her tentative enthusiasm. It's imo sci-fi, pure and simple.