From: Brad Johnson (shadow_slysar@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Feb 10 2009 - 02:17:25 MST
Regarding the grand idea of molecular decimation, transmission of information followed by molecular reintegration: Yes, most of us saw ‘The Fly’. This idea is nowhere near new. Now for some worse news: As a species, we are no closer to actually achieving it. The fantasy of plucking off individual atoms (presumably by a laser), prescribing them x,y,z coordinates and storing this information is absolutely achievable. Even to identify each atoms type (presumably by its atomic weight) as this occurs so that at a later time these pure and raw building blocks could be used to reconstruct someone’s physical personae might even be feasibly possible.
Reconstructing a biological organism however will not be like playing with Lego bricks. To place an individual atom at an x,y,z coordinate is no simple matter in reality as you might imagine in this fantasy scenario. This takes concerted effort in very controlled laboratory conditions. Just ask the men who wrote the word ‘IBM’ with Xenon atoms. The countless trillions of other atoms being placed perfectly over any sensible amount of time could not occur. If the reality of this type of teleportation is not setting in for you yet, let us consider another chemical brick wall to the scenario…
Covalent bonding occurs between 2 atoms to form diatomic molecules and in many cases, even more complex organic molecules. I only bring this up assuming that the reader already knows the difference between an individual atom and an individual molecule. Bearing in mind that difference: to place an individual molecule in an x,y,z coordinate could only be perfectly possible under the conditions of absolute zero. This is the temperature where all energy and movement is ceased on the atomic level. We human beings would do better to discover a reliable process of cryogenic reanimation long before ever worrying about this manner of teleportation I assure you.
Another staggering hindrance of this type of teleportation is the placement of energy. To place a spark of electricity between 2 nerve cells is what we are talking about in this case and must be achievable if molecular reintegration is going to be possible. Right now as we read these words a spark of electricity is being transmitted (hopefully) between your brain and a muscle in your heart. This transmission must occur successfully over the next microsecond of you will suffer from arrhythmia and quite possible a full heart attack. This is only one of the trillions of energetic transmissions occurring simultaneously this moment making life possible within you. This does not even cover the chemical reactions which are in the process of occurring. I will not even go into your brain cells and neural configurations or memories about this electrochemical hindrance.
Let us take this opportunity to upload our neural configuration into a supercomputer shall we? Our brains and the operations of our thoughts occur on such a complex level that we cannot fathom it. We cannot and there is no community of the world’s best scientists that can either. I assure you that no computer can either. This discussion is ridiculous not only because it is pure fantasy but because it is given orders of magnitude to the amount of rediculartiry by the amount of intelligent people fantasizing about it. I am all for transhumanism just like the rest of you but none of this will be achievable until our intellects are augmented by AI and AI is augmented by us. We are primates entertaining ourselves with these fantasies until one or more singularities occur. We will not achieve these things until then.
I do apologize for being a total buzzkill about these fantasy scenarios but reality is what it is. Fantasy is what it is as well. If we are to pursue teleportation in reality then I strongly urge you to stop entertaining yourselves with science magazine and begin postulating and formulating a way to bend space. We could much more easily achieve teleportation in this manner than by the atomic disintegration method. We would not have to waste time worrying about our personal identity and numerous copies of ourselves by folding and bending space.
I pay attention to my own brain and sometimes cannot help it. My brain tells me that this scenario is a chemical method of teleportation riddled with massive and numerous hindrances. In my mind a more physical method seems far more plausible. The endless debate between physics and chemistry at work here ladies and gentlemen. So I pose a question to you.
Which method of teleportation might occur first: Chemical teleportation or a spacetime physics style?
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