WoW, Beam me up Scotty!!

sweetbilly · 10-05-2006, 06:23 PM

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Beaming people in "Star Trek" fashion is still in the realms of science fiction, but physicists in Denmark have teleported information from light to matter bringing quantum communication and computing closer to reality.

Until now scientists have teleported similar objects such as light or single atoms over short distances from one spot to another in a split second.

But Professor Eugene Polzik and his team at the Niels Bohr Institute at Copenhagen University in Denmark have made a breakthrough by using both light and matter.

"It is one step further because for the first time it involves teleportation between light and matter, two different objects. One is the carrier of information and the other one is the storage medium," Polzik explained in an interview on Wednesday.

The experiment involved for the first time a macroscopic atomic object containing thousands of billions of atoms. They also teleported the information a distance of half a meter but believe it can be extended further.

"Teleportation between two single atoms had been done two years ago by two teams, but this was done at a distance of a fraction of a millimeter," Polzik, of the Danish National Research Foundation Center for Quantum Optics, explained.

"Our method allows teleportation to be taken over longer distances because it involves light as the carrier of entanglement," he added.

Quantum entanglement involves entwining two or more particles without physical contact.

Although teleportation is associated with the science-fiction series "Star Trek," no one is likely to be beamed anywhere soon.

But the achievement of Polzik's team, in collaboration with the theorist Ignacio Cirac of the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching, Germany, marks an advancement in the field of quantum information and computers, which could transmit and process information in a way that was impossible before.

"It is really about teleporting information from one site to another site. Quantum information is different from classical information in the sense that it cannot be measured. It has much higher information capacity and it cannot be eavesdropped on. The transmission of quantum information can be made unconditionally secure," said Polzik whose research is reported in the journal Nature.

Quantum computing requires manipulation of information contained in the quantum states, which include physical properties such as energy, motion and magnetic field, of the atoms.

"Creating entanglement is a very important step, but there are two more steps at least to perform teleportation. We have succeeded in making all three steps -- that is entanglement, quantum measurement and quantum feedback," he added.

I seen this today on CNN, blew me away i didn't even know they were researching any such thing. This could really have profound implications in the future, don't you agree? Now maybe a trip to Hawaii won't be so darn expensive, still off season of course, haha. Maybe the gasoline powered automobile will become a thing of the past, then we could get rid of all the roads. That would be just amazing!! I could just see them teleporting dry goods to stores, doing surgical procedures and alot of other things using this. Now if they could only find a way to enlarge ...ummmm ...."things" i would really, REALLY be happy LMAO :P

Merika · 10-10-2006, 02:51 PM

I guess using the same thought as a television and beaming a picture, they could also beam entire objects.

It would make sending mail alot faster.

sweetbilly · 10-11-2006, 12:34 AM

I just find it amazing that they have teleported a physical object. I don't think people realize the significance of this, now we are controlling the physical properties of matter!! That's amazing! All they would need now are megacomputers and they could prolly do an entire human being. That was the premise of that movie about those archelogists that go back in time to France.

Oh well, you know me, i'm just nuts about anything new in the field of science and i thought this was well worth the post ...especially Quantum physics or Geology :P

I just keep thinking about that movie the fly with Jeff Goldblum, i keep waiting for them to create a woman that dosen't get PMS once a month, loves to drink beer and watch the game on sunday mornings. hehehe Guess i'll just have to keep dreaming.

Vautrin · 10-11-2006, 04:03 AM

PMS is something different from menstruation. So these women already exist.

Merika · 10-14-2006, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetbilly

I just keep thinking about that movie the fly with Jeff Goldblum, i keep waiting for them to create a woman that dosen't get PMS once a month, loves to drink beer and watch the game on sunday mornings. hehehe Guess i'll just have to keep dreaming.

2 out a 3 ain't bad. I don't like sports.

sweetbilly · 10-14-2006, 02:40 PM

LMAO, 2 out of 3 huh, and the only one you won't do is sports? hehe. That's so funny!! I think i can live with 2 out of 3!!

TKDLady · 10-14-2006, 02:59 PM

I would love to be teleported back in time. I would fix a few things.

Vautrin · 10-14-2006, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkdlady

I would love to be teleported back in time. I would fix a few things.

Oh, that offers some interesting options. Where would you start?

TKDLady · 10-14-2006, 09:46 PM

June 7, 2005. That is when my life changed forever. I currently sucks and I would change it.

Luba · 10-15-2006, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkdlady

June 7, 2005. That is when my life changed forever. I currently sucks and I would change it.

I'm sorry to hear that, tkdlady!

I'm so glad you joined here to be among friends!