Wormholes may look almost identical to black holes, researchers suggest

Polarization in a vertical magnetic field for wormholes with different redshift parameters α. Each color represents the observable polarization of the orbits located at r=6M (outer ring) and r=4.5M (inner ring) for a particular wormhole solution with α∈[0,3]. The Schwarzschild black hole polarization is given by a black dotted line as a reference. The angle of inclination is θ=20°. Credit: Physical examination D (2022). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.106.104024

A group of researchers from Sofia University have found evidence to suggest that the reason a wormhole has never been observed is that it looks nearly identical to black holes.

In their article published in the journal Physical examination D, Petya Nedkova, Galin Gyulchev, Stoytcho Yazadjiev and Valentin Delijski describe the study of theoretical linear polarization from an accretion disk that would be located around a class of static traversable wormholes and compare the results to images of black holes.

For many years, scientists and science fiction writers have entertained the theoretical possibility of a wormhole. Such an object, according to the theory, would take the form of a kind of tunnel connecting two different parts of the universe. Moving through the tunnel would allow travel to distant destinations in a way that is not available to starships unable to travel faster than the speed of light, by taking a shortcut.

Unfortunately, no one has ever observed a wormhole or even any physical evidence that they actually exist. Yet because the theory of their existence is so strong, astrophysicists assume they exist. The problem is that we either lack the technology to see them, or we haven’t researched them in the right way.

In this new effort, the Bulgarian researchers suggest the latter is the problem. They found evidence, via theory, that suggests they could be sitting out there in the night sky for all to see, and the reason we don’t see them is because we confuse them with holes. black.

The work involved studying wormhole theories and then applying the results to create simulations, focusing on the polarity of the light that would be emitted from such an object – and also taking into account the characteristics of ‘a supposed disk surrounding its mouth. They then created direct and indirect images to describe what a wormhole would look like and compared them to black holes. they found them remarkably similar.

The researchers noted that it should be possible to tell wormholes and black holes apart by noting subtle differences between them, such as polarization patterns and intensities as well as their radii.

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