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Originally Posted by Linda Vu, Berkeley
Using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, the researchers mapped out the polarization as well as the electric field with atomic resolution. This allowed them to estimate the local energy density, which clearly showed regions where the curvature of the energy density is negative, indicating stabilization of the steady-state negative capacitance.
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A material with negative energy density might come in very handy. I'm not saying it's feasible, but I can at least highlight the apparent link between the generation of a material with (localised) negative energy density and an application that theoretically requires it.
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Originally Posted by Wikipedia
The proposed mechanism of the Alcubierre drive implies a negative energy density and therefore requires exotic matter. So if exotic matter with the correct properties can not exist, then the drive could not be constructed. However, at the close of his original article[2] Alcubierre argued (following an argument developed by physicists analyzing traversable wormholes[3][4]) that the Casimir vacuum between parallel plates could fulfill the negative-energy requirement for the Alcubierre drive.
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For discussion, or not. (And, yes, I know there are many, many other practical and theoretical barriers to FTL travel, but it's still interesting).