I just found it interesting that they are exploring it at proof of concept stage.
There could be another problem, possibly, in that the deceleration would result in a massive burst of very, very highly blueshifted energy, and it'd be a bit of a bugger if approaching say a space colony and oh...oops...sorry about that huge pulse of hard gamma radiation wiping half the planet clean of life. And of course the negative energy requirement.
But if they are actively exploring proof of concept in creating a warp bubble on a microscale, that implies that they might be getting somewhere. At least far enough to explore possibilities or hell, if they are building a prototype that would be something I'd HAVE to read about.
And here's another (unrelated) one-IMO star fruit shouldn't be eaten. And by anybody with kidney problems they MUST never, ever eat them, drink the juice or even eat a small piece, people with kidney issues especially are affected, although it has occurred in healthy people.
This is because star-fruit (and their relative in southeast asia, 'bilimbi', both in the genus Averrhoa) contain a one-two punch. First, they contain really quite high levels of oxalate, sufficient to hit the very lower end lethal dosage potential in just 300g or so of fruit, and oxalate/oxalic acid is toxic, also it precipitates out as tiny calcium oxalate raphides (raphides are tiny little crystalline needles, very tiny, but very sharp, and these get caught up in the filtration system of the kidneys and start slicing stuff up, a lot of kidney stones are oxalate stones, also these raphides form as the 'tophi' which accumulate in joints and cause the intense joint pain of gout).
The other, much nastier half of the damage they can inflict is a compound they contain, a ring-substituted derivative of the amino-acid phenylalanine, its called caramboxin, and it is really nasty shit. An orthosteric agonist of both AMPA and NMDA type ionotropic glutamate receptors, and powerful excitotoxin. Causes first, intractable hiccuping (the very mildest expression of star fruit toxicity is limited to this), and progresses to convulsive and neurodegenerative effects, the latter, if someone survives an excitotoxin are likely to be permanent, potentially leaving someone as vegetation.
If seizures happen in caramboxin toxicity due to star fruit, bilimbi, or their relatives, its a very, very bad sign. In most case studies, those without, survived with intensive care, but where seizure occurs the prognosis is dire indeed and usually fatal, potentially long and slow way to die, some victims taking over a month to die. The seizures being highly refractory to near enough anything doctors can throw at it, although a combination of aggressive barbiturate and propofol intravenous continual sedation/anticonvulsant therapy as an induced coma has, in combination with rapid response and dialysis, ideally also plasma exchange might save a victim of star fruit poisoning who has had a seizure, if it happens, it is usually fatal, and a single piece of a slice, or a small (300ml) glass of juice has proved enough to kill.
Its USUALLY a problem for kidney patients, diagnosed or otherwise, with impaired kidney function, but it IS known in otherwise healthy people, although they seem to clear the toxin renally with greater efficiency. But unfortunately there is that huge amount of oxalate present, something like 750mg/100g fresh star fruit, min. human lethal dose of oxalate being about 2g (oxalate is also, incidentally the reason ethylene glycol (antifreeze) is poisonous to people and animals, it is metabolized to oxalate and causes kidney failure)
So nephrotoxin, mixed with a neurotoxin particularly deadly to those with impaired kidney function, a rather nasty combination, no?
So, if any of you have or know people with, impaired kidney function, you just can't eat the things, it'll probably kill you, and if it doesn't it can do permanent neurological damage to learning and memory. Warn any friends or relatives with kidney issues to avoid eating/drinking star fruit and its relatives full stop, they are flat out NO for a kidney patient.
And, whilst AFAIK I don't have compromised kidneys myself, I no longer eat them. Its a pity, I used to really like them, one of my favourites in fact. But after reading up on some of the case reports, and the often fulminant progress of toxicity, I'll never eat them again.
So, if you are, or know any renal patients, let them know, carambola/star frut are off the menu. And also, given that children have less liver, kidney etc. capacity compared to adults, it would be very wise for them to be prohibited from eating star fruit/carambola and bilimbi fruit. Personally, adult and with afaik good enough kidney function, they are now off my menu too.
(although I AM getting rather tempted and casting my mind towards that 300g or so of sliced roast beef cold cuts in the fridge:D)
