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3. Someone's KPIs are linked to the number of patents submitted, and they're willing to take a flier on some very speculative ideas.

To qualify for a patent, there is no requirement that an invention works.

In fact, the opposite is true, but patent examiners are imperfect.

This is more than travel to other planets. This is travel to other times, maybe even other dimensions or universes.

Which leads one to think explanation #2 is most likely.