Sometime ago we did mention of a few Physicists who had set out to build the Star-Trek Warp drive for real. A new technology formally known as the "electromagnetic drive," or "emdrive" for short, could make this possible. This steampunk-looking device converts electrical energy into thrust via microwaves, in a way that some physicists believe is impossible. However, the Chinese claim they are building a prototype right now. Chinese researchers now claim to have verified the theory behind a space drive that by all rights should not work. According to British scientist Roger Shawyer, his electromagnetic drive, or Emdrive, needs no propellants, but instead converts electrical energy into thrust via microwaves by exploiting the properties of relativity. To describe Shawyer's work as controversial understates the reaction. The Chinese have some expertise on thrusters using similar construction but based on conventional physics, and they should be able to tell whether the drive is actually working or whether the forces are the result of experimental errors.

If the research can be freely reviewed by peers and the results, if favorable, duplicated by others, we should get a good idea of whether this idea valid or just plain crazy. A revolutionary advance would be exceedingly cool, but even under a generous "anything's possible" outlook; you wouldn't want to bet anything more than a buck on this one.

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