Teleportation: Express Lane Space Travel

Space.com ^ | 08 July 2005 | Leonard David

[FierceDraka]

People who fantasize about teleportation forget something pointed out in the great SF novel Rogue Moon by Algis Budrys--teleportation KILLS YOU! What's reassembled is no longer you, it's a "new" you.

That's what's scary about it. The traveller wouldn't be able to maintain stream of consciousness, and the copy at the end of the journey would only have the illusion of the original's memories.

Also, after enough "jumps", errors in the copying process would accumulate to the point where the traveller is no longer a viable living being.

I'd feel much more comfortable squeezing through a friggin' wormhole connection. I might get fried by radiation in the process, but at least I'd still be ME. Not an evil impostor with a goatee!

[FierceDraka]

We will soon need the ARM.

But if you recall, the ARM and their UN masters kept Earth under a virtual techno-dictatorship, removed all references of war and weaponry from the history books, and worked towards eliminating violent behavior through selective breeding.

As a result, humanity was almost conquered, anslaved, and hunted for food when the Kzin invaded the solar system.

/ Proud sci-fi geek for 30+ years.

[FierceDraka]

With the notable exceptions of Greg Benford (with whom I've corresponded briefly, what a cool guy), John Varley (liberal as they come) and Ted Chiang, most of the new stuff just leaves me cold.

A lot of the new stuff leaves me cold as well. But if you like Benford and Varley, I might suggest you check out some stuff by David Brin and Greg Bear.

Especially David Brin. The guy is a physicist who really knows how to spin a good yarn.

[FierceDraka]

Amanda Tapping could tell me the moon is made of green cheese and I'd believe it.

Aww, man! Remember the rules there! ;-)

And my personal favorite:

[Zuben Elgenubi]

"Teleporting a person would require a machine that isolates, appraises, and keeps track of over a trillion trillion atoms that constitute the human body, then sends that data to another locale for reassembly—and hopefully without mussing up your physical and mental makeup."

It would be a neat feat that during the teleportation, a software subsystem removed human maladies like cancer.

[Shalom Israel]

And would you have to set up each jump individually, or could you set up some kind of permanent infrastructure that things can go through?

You'd have to set it up each time. At least, "quantum entanglement" isn't something you could build into a doorway, say. You have to actually entangle a particular pair of particles.

[Phsstpok]

I agree with your post 100%

Note my nom de plume

I AM a Protector!!!!!!

The ARM have not taken my measure. The UN has not met my kind.

Now, if only Louis Wu would make up his mind to be one of us we'd be rocking!

/ Proud sci-fi geek for 40+ years.

[Boiler Plate]

BTT

[FierceDraka]

Pass the Tree of Life root, please!

Bah the same token, the Domination of the Draka recognahzes no UN authoritah, an' we'll have 'em under the yoke soon enough, with neck tattoos an' ev'rythin'.

If'n they behave an' obey, we just maht let 'em join the Jannissary corps an' let 'em enjoy some o' the plund'rin'.

Service an' Glory!

[Thoro]

People who fantasize about teleportation forget something pointed out in the great SF novel Rogue Moon by Algis Budrys--teleportation KILLS YOU! What's reassembled is no longer you, it's a "new" you.

But it's a "cleansed" version of you!

[Salgak]

Yep. Quantum tunneling is OH SO BORING to the average Joe or Jane.

But the results of studying it were transistors and ICs, and the entire electronics/information revolution that started in the 1960s and is rolling on today.

Science is ALL about the little details, and why they're important. . .

[Salgak]

OTOH, are you REALLY in the right place? FR is more for those who would be Samothracians, not Homo drakensis. . . .or the Homo servus the Dhimmicrats are already trying to breed us all into. . . Hm. . . Dems as Draka. . .it almost fits. . . Proud SF Geek for 35+ years. . .

[inquest]

The traveller wouldn't be able to maintain stream of consciousness

Well, do you ever really maintain a stream of consciousness when you go to sleep at night? Or when you fall unconscious, or have major surgery?

By the way, I think this is the "evil impostor" image you were looking for:

"I'M CAPTAIN KIRK!!"

[FierceDraka]

LOL I guess the reason for the screen name is because of my preferred methods of dealing with the enemy: WIN OR DIE!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Aww, man! Remember the rules there! ;-)

Forgive me. I, of all people, should have been the one to remember that rule.

I will accept my punishment of 12 lashes with a wet staff weapon.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

We will soon need the ARM.

Gil Hamilton bump!