The New Scientist article on the theories of Burkhard Heim (and subsequent work by Walter Drösher and Jochem Häuser) that might lead to a new form of space propulsion is now available on line without a subscription: Take a leap into hyperspace - New Scientist - Jan.5.06. See also the discussion going on at Hyperdrive Hype - Transterrestrial Musings - Jan.6.06

A reader sent me links to a Burkhard Heim website at the University of Innsbruck that offers some papers by Drösher and Häuser. See also Protosimplex – Ideas of Burkhard Heim and Heim-Theory.com.

I'll note that it is quite common for legitimate scientists to theorize about all sorts of wild ideas like antigravity, wormholes, zero-point propulsion, warp drive, etc. The fundamental theories of matter and space-time are very complex and incomplete. So it's certainly possible that unexpected capabilities might emerge. After all, long after Maxwell's equations describing electricity and magnetism were published, new E&M technologies continue to appear. Near-field optics, for example, previously would have seemed to violate the diffraction limit but are now well understood and used routinely.

Nevertheless, don't hold your breath waiting for hyperspace, antigravity, or warp-drive vehicles. Even if such things were theoretically possible, there would probably be all sorts of technological barriers. Nuclear fusion propulsion violates no fundamental physics principles at all but nevertheless it will most likely take many decades to overcome the technological hurdles before fusion drive vehicles begin zooming around the solar system.

It's wise to keep investigating "shortcuts" to space travel no matter how crazy they might seem but in the meantime chemical rockets will serve us just fine.