What If FTL Was Real? Space Empires, Time Travel, and Total Annihilation | Entropy Rising Episode 14

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In this episode of Entropy Rising, Jacob and Lucas dive into one of science fiction’s most iconic and controversial ideas: faster-than-light (FTL) travel. What would it take to actually break the universe’s ultimate speed limit—and should we even want to?

We kick things off by confronting the science head-on. Modern physics makes it clear: FTL travel violates everything we know about energy, causality, and the structure of space-time. From the infinite energy required to approach the speed of light to the time-travel paradoxes that FTL would unleash, we explain why physicists generally believe it’s impossible—and why that might be a good thing.

But let’s be honest: the science isn’t why FTL keeps showing up in Star Trek, Stargate, and every other sci-fi universe. So we suspend disbelief and explore the mind-bending implications of if it were possible. Could we build warp drives using exotic matter? Would wormholes really let us travel from planet to planet—or just rip open reality? And what happens when you can send a spaceship, or a missile, across the galaxy in an instant?

From there, we explore how FTL would reshape civilization itself. Would planets become suburbs of galactic megacities? Would interstellar wars be fought with surprise attacks through stargates or relativistic kill vehicles? Could we terraform worlds by draining oceans through portals or transporting entire planets to new stars? What does power look like in a post-scarcity society where resources are everywhere—and conflict might be inevitable?

We even dig into the Fermi Paradox: If FTL is possible, why haven’t we met anyone? Would civilizations self-destruct the moment they unlock such power? Or does the silence of the stars prove FTL just isn’t real?

This episode is a wild ride through speculative science, technological dreams, and existential dread—with just the right amount of sarcasm and awe. Whether you’re a sci-fi fan, a physics nerd, or just someone wondering what the future could look like, this one’s for you.

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