The human race has gone from learning how to perform powered flight to landing on the planet Mars in less than 125 years, which is incredible.

On a universal scale, however, we are still stuck in our own tiny part the galaxy.

The universe is so massive, so it’s natural that there are some major obstacles to us reaching other solar systems, much less distant galaxies, and whatever lies beyond.

For generations, scientists have known that one of the biggest obstacles we will face when it comes to being able to truly explore outer space is speed. Even at the speed of light, it would take many lifetimes to travel to the other side of the Milky Way.

The only way to overcome this is to find a way to travel significantly faster than light. While there have been quite a few theories of how this could be done, we are a long way off from making any of them a reality.

Applied Physics, which is a Public Benefit Company, has taken a major step forward in trying to push the goal of faster-than-light travel forward.

They have created an online toolkit called the “Warp Factory,” which was described by the CEO, Gianni Martire, in a press release in this way:

“Physicists can now generate and refine an array of warp drive designs with just a few clicks, allowing us to advance science at warp speed. Warp Factory serves as a virtual wind tunnel, enabling us to test and evaluate different warp designs. Science fiction is now inching closer to science fact.”

In addition to creating this virtual warp drive laboratory, they have also dedicated $500,000 to grants that they can give out to deserving warp drive theorists. If, or when, someone comes up with a practical theory, this money can be given out to help bring the theory into reality.

In order to qualify for this grant money, the warp drive concept must be able to be physically constructed based on classical relativity.

We may still be a long way off from faster than light travel, but scientists are making progress.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a quantum computer simulation that has “reversed time” and physics may never be the same.