Wormholes have nothing to do with earthworms, but are more like space tubes. A wormhole is a theoretical passage through space-time that could help people and things travel huge distances through space in short amounts of time. Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen proposed this theory in 1935; wormholes are also known as Einstein-Rosen bridges. According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, they mathematically should exist. But we have never actually observed one.

A wormhole, theoretically speaking, has two mouths connected by a throat that connects two different points in space-time. They may not only connect two points, but some theories about wormholes suggest they may also be able to connect two universes. So could we time travel in a wormhole like plenty of science-fiction movies suggest? Perhaps not, according to Einstein and Rosen’s theory, which states that a wormhole collapses quickly. New theories have emerged that suggest wormholes may stay open longer, but we’re far from having the technology required to find and use them. Learn more about wormholes in the videos below.