h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Did you know that they installed 'Heisenberg compensators' in the Star Trek series because the principle would otherwise beaming impossible. This resulted in the following dialogue.


Scientific advisor tells journalist about the Heisenberg compensator.

Journalist: Well, how does it work?

SA: Very well, thanks.

As it turns out, the effects of the interactions subatomic particles have with each other theoretically alter the particles before the interaction takes place. So you could gather information about a particle before it interacts with anything, making Star-Trek like transporters possible. Some IBM fellows have done very interesting work in this area, where by "very interesting" I mean "makes-your-head-want-to-explode."

Does this bizarre head-exploding stuff from IBM have anything to do with the theory surrounding use of identical (down to subatomic level) crystals for instantaneous communication independent of the speed of light?

[In case this one is new to you, the idea is that one of these crystals - made from dunnowhatium - will exhibit a response to a stimuli applied to the other instantly, and regardless of the distance between the two crystals].

Note new element name made up on the spot.

not sure you spelt it correctly. What's it's symbol?

Read something yesterday in an article about quantum computing involving quarks have the same 'property' (I think that was it)... About teleporting photons, I wish I understood more of this!

I think what you are referring to is Quantum Entanglement, which even Einstein thought of as a most spooky result of quantum maths. Basically, two 'entangled' particles will exhibit the same spin, velocity, and charge, and one will change its condition to mimic the other instantaeneously, irrespective of distance. And yes, there have been experiments (I have the refs somewhere, but please dont ask me to look them up) in which entangled particles have been used to transmit data across empty space (the affected particle being the 'transmitter', and its entangled twin being the 'receiver.') If anyone else has more info, please share.