Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sri-unix!Alfke.PASA@XEROX.ARPA From: Alfke.PASA@XEROX.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Matter Transmission Message-ID: <12203@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Tue, 7-Aug-84 14:35:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12203 Posted: Tue Aug 7 14:35:00 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Aug-84 02:12:06 EDT Lines: 57 Some flames regarding Will Martins discussion of matter transmission/duplication: Matter transmission would not inevitably lead to duplication. It would (eventually) if&methods of the form "record-everything-about-the-object- then-transmit-this-to-the-receiver-which-then-rebuilds-it" were used (although you could set your story in the intervening time (centuries?) before it is discovered how to record such an insanely high-bandwidth signal. However, it seems quite possible that teleportation devices might use quantum-mechanical means, in which the object's probability waveform is distorted so as to reach maximum in some distant location. (How this could be done while still maintaining the proper constraints on the waveform's shape is beyond me; let some real scientist figure that one out.) Additionally, even having the ability to record the signal describing an object does not automatically grant the ability to change it in subtle ways (removal of aging effects, combing/uncombing of hair, and more were mentioned). Maybe it would eventually be perfected, but give it a few centuries after the invention of the duplicator (remember, we need computers that can comprehend the entire enormous signal...) Other restrictions: Can the duplicator transmute elements, or do you have to dump in sufficient amounts of the proper elements to create something? (Bit of a problem for rejuvenating stars.) Even if it can, can it transmute subatomic particles? Even given all this stuff, I still refuse to believe that it automatically grants you entropy reversal. Entropy is such a fundamental mathematical consequence of physical law, it will find some method of increasing itself. To build brand-new stars from the ruins of old ones would probably require several stars-worth of energy to be dumped in . . . (Any society which used duplicators heavily would thus still require some fairly hefty source of power to run them, and you can't cheat and allow the duplicators to provide the energy. Solar seems like the best bet. Maybe the Dyson sphere will become a necessity, just to trap all the sunlight?) Boy! Isn't science *fun* ???? ~~Some further reading~~ Larry Niven, "The Theory and Practice of Teleportation" (Essay from All the Myriad Ways (Ballantine) ) A nice essay, mostly summarizing methods from other books, but also offering a few ideas of its own. George O. Smith, The Complete Venus Equilateral (Ballantine) A terrific series of stories from the 30's and 40's; a matter duplicator is eventually developed and nearly destroys "civilization as we know it". --Peter Alfke "I teleported home one day with Ron and Sid and Meg; Ron stole Maggie's heart away And I got Sidney's leg . . ."