tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12487611.post113408971723101304..comments2023-07-01T05:31:58.501-06:00Comments on Signs of insanity: Warning: This post rated "N" for nerdityJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10876775111703252840noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12487611.post-1134781149625870312005-12-16T17:59:00.000-07:002005-12-16T17:59:00.000-07:00In quantum mechanics there is a concept called "in...In quantum mechanics there is a concept called "indistinguishability." Basically the idea is that if two particles have identical quantum states, then they are for all intents and purposes, the same particle. By this argument if the transporter recreates the person with all particles in the same quantum states as the original, then according to quantum mechanics it is the same person. Since it has been establishd that a tricorder can read quantum states (apparently without disrupting them: how does it get around the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, I wonder), this shouln't bean issue in the <I>Star Trek</I> universe. The two Rikers would also have been indistinguishable at the moment the transporter created them, so both would be the "real" Riker. <BR/><BR/>Quantum Physics hurts my brain.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10876775111703252840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12487611.post-1134451851504768372005-12-12T22:30:00.000-07:002005-12-12T22:30:00.000-07:00Then the philosophers get into whether or not the ...Then the philosophers get into whether or not the reassembled "person" is really the same "person" as before the teleportation. Likely, the person who came out of the transporter would believe so (assuming it actually worked), but is it really? And if there's a freak accident (like the one that produced two Rikers), which is the "real" person? ;-)Qalmleahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17131154882107531113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12487611.post-1134249808643486242005-12-10T14:23:00.000-07:002005-12-10T14:23:00.000-07:00Phil, Did you check out the links? Quantum telepo...Phil, <BR/><BR/>Did you check out the links? Quantum teleportation isn't about moving large masses, it is about transferring information (quantum states).Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10876775111703252840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12487611.post-1134188164961965462005-12-09T21:16:00.000-07:002005-12-09T21:16:00.000-07:00Wormholes are another matter entirelyWormholes are another matter entirelyphilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16786599770638365364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12487611.post-1134188060829426862005-12-09T21:14:00.000-07:002005-12-09T21:14:00.000-07:00Those silly sci-fi writers. quantum teleportation...Those silly sci-fi writers. quantum teleportation isn't possible.<BR/><BR/>However, the physical breakdown in Timeline is a bit more realistic than Star Trek's teleporters. You'd expect that there would be some room for error in the process and that this would cause some level of physical breakdown. In Star Trek, it seems that you can transport yourself at whim with no concern for the number of transportations or the frequency there of.<BR/><BR/>Here's a brief description of how teleportation (other than the worm-hole based type) works in most Sci-Fi:<BR/>The transporter tears the object to transport (You) apart at an atomic level and records the position and state of each atom. It simultaneously reassembles the object (also at the atomic level) in a different location based on the recorded information.<BR/><BR/>A few problems with this method:<BR/>Atoms are very small - there are 6.022x10^23 carbon atoms in 12 grams of Carbon-12. 10^23 is a lot. That's a one with 23 zeros after it. And 12 grams isn't very big, you could easily hold it in the palm of your hand.<BR/><BR/>In comparison, if you print an image that fills an 8x10 sheet of paper, at 300 dpi, that's only 24,000 dots. It would take 25 quintillion of these sheets of paper to get enough dots to equal the number of atoms in 12 grams of Carbon-12. How long would it take the fastest inkjet you know of to print that many sheets? Computer Technology advances at a very rapid pace, but we are a very, very long way from reaching the speeds necessary for quantum teleportation.<BR/><BR/>Even if we had computers of sufficient speed, it would be very hard to measure the state of an atom with the precision necessary. Atoms change very rapidly. They're always moving. The electrons around an atom move at (or near) the speed of light and the atoms themselves jostle around very rapidly as well. And it would be a bit more complicated than just putting the atoms in the proper places, you'd also have to get them to form the proper bonds with the adjacent atoms.<BR/><BR/>So, I can't say that it is absolutely impossible, but I can say with a fair degree of certainty that it isn't going to happen in my lifetime or my grandchildren's lifetime or my great grandchildren's great grandchildren's lifetime.philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16786599770638365364noreply@blogger.com