The episode where Will Riker's copy (thomas riker) was found on that moon almost implies that this is exactly what happens in the star trek type of teleportation.
That's the theory, of course. The actual "quantum teleportation" experiments that are currently being done (and that xkcd is referencing) involve only a particle or two.
As a physics student who specializes in quantum implications, I need to chime in. There is a lot of misinformation here. As presented in the (incredibly funny) comic, quantum teleportation is a terrible name. It is merely a statistical influence between space-like separated particles. It is not at all the teleportation of matter or energy, but rather a superluminal transmission of quantum information. At no point is something here, then there. Simply, their states are correlated. If interested, skim these articles:<a class="user" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_inequality">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_inequality</a><a class="user" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epr_paradox">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epr_paradox</a>While not Star Trek style teleportation, if you take the time to understand what these articles are saying, it will shake your world and understanding of reality beyond anything you've ever known.The implications of Bell-type correlations force the universe to be non-local, and once you can understand how significant this is, you'll only want to keep reading. Suggestions for some accessible works:Herbert -- "Quantum Reality"Albert -- "Quantum Mechanics and Experience"JS Bell's "Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics" is by far the best text on the subject, but it is relatively rare, expensive, and not best for the beginner/nonscientist. Many of his papers, however, are fantastically accessible, so it is something for the curious to read.In addition, I've written quite a few papers on the topics designed to provide accessible introductions to the topics. Ask questions. In this vein, you'll find that the physics community is ignoring real questions about this stuff. They've stopped thinking long ago in favor of a strict empiricism. Only a few researchers remain asking the real fundamental questions.
The reporter was disappointed by the new scientific "whatever" was, like, y'know not that teleportation thingy, so he was like "pffft you bore me 'n stuff reporter guy, I'm like all science and you're all hollywood! i'ma do my nails" and he "fun! teleports" because he has a teleporter thingy that can do the "boring teleporter thingy" and the "fun teleporter thingy" and the knob is on the fun one so he disappears like in movies and how the reporter thought quantum teleportation worked.How's that?
assbeardAug 20, 2008
The episode where Will Riker's copy (thomas riker) was found on that moon almost implies that this is exactly what happens in the star trek type of teleportation.
tech42erAug 20, 2008
That's the theory, of course. The actual "quantum teleportation" experiments that are currently being done (and that xkcd is referencing) involve only a particle or two.
saxmanlarryAug 21, 2008
As a physics student who specializes in quantum implications, I need to chime in. There is a lot of misinformation here. As presented in the (incredibly funny) comic, quantum teleportation is a terrible name. It is merely a statistical influence between space-like separated particles. It is not at all the teleportation of matter or energy, but rather a superluminal transmission of quantum information. At no point is something here, then there. Simply, their states are correlated. If interested, skim these articles:<a class="user" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_inequality">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_inequality</a><a class="user" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epr_paradox">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epr_paradox</a>While not Star Trek style teleportation, if you take the time to understand what these articles are saying, it will shake your world and understanding of reality beyond anything you've ever known.The implications of Bell-type correlations force the universe to be non-local, and once you can understand how significant this is, you'll only want to keep reading. Suggestions for some accessible works:Herbert -- "Quantum Reality"Albert -- "Quantum Mechanics and Experience"JS Bell's "Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics" is by far the best text on the subject, but it is relatively rare, expensive, and not best for the beginner/nonscientist. Many of his papers, however, are fantastically accessible, so it is something for the curious to read.In addition, I've written quite a few papers on the topics designed to provide accessible introductions to the topics. Ask questions. In this vein, you'll find that the physics community is ignoring real questions about this stuff. They've stopped thinking long ago in favor of a strict empiricism. Only a few researchers remain asking the real fundamental questions.
funkytacoAug 25, 2008
The reporter was disappointed by the new scientific "whatever" was, like, y'know not that teleportation thingy, so he was like "pffft you bore me 'n stuff reporter guy, I'm like all science and you're all hollywood! i'ma do my nails" and he "fun! teleports" because he has a teleporter thingy that can do the "boring teleporter thingy" and the "fun teleporter thingy" and the knob is on the fun one so he disappears like in movies and how the reporter thought quantum teleportation worked.How's that?