It’s true: science is unlocking teleportation! What does this mean for humanity?
Just lie back and picture this: science has evolved so much, and now everybody is able to teleport. Both back in time or in the future, or better yet, straight from bed to their work chair. How cool is that? But will this mess with the timeline? Let’s not think that far; after all, we will cross the bridge when we get to it.
Although the idea of teleporting entire people is still a long way off, advanced studies in theoretical physics, particle physics, and quantum mechanics raise the possibility that teleportation, at least in some form, may one day be achievable.
Scientists are already trying out ways to change spacetime itself, send data instantly, and even move atoms around. Here are 10 real scientific ways to teleport and examples of how they are being tested.
Wormhole-based teleportation
One of the ways science is unlocking teleportation is through Wormholes. For those who are reading about this term for the first time, wormholes are tunnels linking two points in spacetime, among the most intriguing (and contentious) teleportation theories in physics.
Wormholes are possible according to Einstein’s general theory of relativity, and some researchers think they could be utilized for instantaneous travel. The issue is that, if they exist at all, natural wormholes are probably very tiny and incredibly unstable. However, teleportation through wormholes might theoretically be possible if they could be stabilized and produced artificially.
In 2022, Caltech physicists used a quantum computer to simulate a traversable wormhole. Even though this was only a mathematical model, it offered more proof that wormholes and entanglement might be related. Teleportation may transform from a quantum information trick into a practical method of moving matter if further research validates this connection.
Teleporting via matter-to-light conversion
This sounds a little bit more complicated, right? No worries, we will narrow it down for you. So, separating physical matter and reassembling it in a different location is one of the most difficult aspects of teleportation. Matter-to-light conversion, which transforms physical objects into energy, transmits them across space, and then reconstructs them, is one possible remedy.
Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence equation, which demonstrates the interchangeability of matter and energy, is the foundation of this theory. If we could safely transform something into energy and then rebuild it somewhere else, teleportation might become a possibility.
In 2019, scientists at the University of Vienna successfully demonstrated a technique known as “coherent matter-wave optics,” in which they transformed extremely cold atoms into a manipulable and transportable wave-like state. This implies that matter-energy conversion is feasible at the quantum level, even though it is a long way from teleporting people.
Other researchers are considering using entangled photons to transmit quantum information via laser-based transmission. An object could theoretically simulate teleportation if it could be completely scanned, transformed into a photon stream, and then recreated in a different location.
This kind of teleportation is still a long way off, but it is likely to happen sooner rather than later, and we are excited about it for sure!
Quantum computing and teleportation networks
A new field called quantum computing uses the rules of quantum mechanics to process data in ways that regular computers can’t. Quantum teleportation is an important part of creating the next generation of quantum communication networks. These networks could one day let data and information be sent like teleportation.
Google and IBM have been playing around with quantum computing operations that work like teleportation. Google’s Quantum AI team showed “error-corrected” quantum teleportation between superconducting qubits in 2023. The technique made quantum circuits more reliable by lowering noise.
If quantum networks continue to improve, we might eventually have teleportation-based computing and communication systems that are immediately usable. These systems could pave the way for more advanced forms of teleportation in the future.
Quantum Entanglement (or how you can really teleport things)
The fourth way science is unlocking teleportation is through quantum entanglement. In real life, teleportation experiments depend on quantum entanglement. When two particles become “entangled,” their states are linked no matter how far apart they are; this strange thing happens.
Even if they are light-years apart, if one particle changes, the other one responds right away. This is what Albert Einstein famously called “spooky action at a distance,” but it’s now a well-known fact in science.
In 2020, scientists at Fermilab in the U.S. Department of Energy were able to perform quantum teleportation across 44 km (27 miles) of fiber-optic cables. While this doesn’t mean we can teleport things just yet, it does build the way for a future where instant data transfer and maybe even teleporting physical matter will be possible.
Until science fully unlocks teleportation for humans, it will be a while, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. This Card Magic 180 Card Tricks kit allows you to make objects disappear and impress your friends.For those who enjoy instant fun with a dash of illusion, it’s the ideal lighthearted homage to teleportation. A fun method of feeling like a wizard or scientist that’s also an enjoyable activity to engage in with your juniors.
The Casimir effect and warping of spacetime
Teleportation might be more than just sending quantum information. It could also involve altering spacetime. The Casimir effect is one of the strangest things that can happen in quantum physics. It happens when you put two metal plates that are not charged next to each other, and a negative energy vacuum forms between them.
Some people think that this negative energy could be used to change spacetime and make shortcuts, which could lead to teleportation in the future.
NASA’s Eagleworks Laboratories have looked into ways to make negative energy fields in controlled environments, but their work is still just a theory. If scientists can figure out how to change negative energy, they might be able to do teleportation experiments that use real spacetime distortions.
Teleporting human memory and brain data
Now that’s sort of neat, don’t you think? It’s very hard to teleport a human body. Still, some scientists think it might be possible to teleport the mind before it is possible to teleport matter. Which will be close to what we’ve seen in the movies over the years. It’s not much, but it’s still something.
The idea comes from studying neuroscience and consciousness. If we can map, store, and send brain data, we might be able to copy and rebuild someone’s mind in another place, kind of like teleportation.
UCLA neuroscientists did an experiment in 2018 in which they were able to successfully move snails’ memories from one to another. They were able to make an untrained snail do what the trained snail did by taking RNA from the trained snail and injecting it into the untrained snail. This means that learning and memory are not only stored in neurons but can also be stored chemically.
Some scientists think that teleporting consciousness into a new body, whether biological or synthetic, could become possible in the future if the structure and activity of the human brain could one day be recorded digitally.
According to Ray Kurzweil and other scientists, people will be able to upload and transfer their minds digitally by the 2040s. The technology will let them “teleport” into virtual or robotic bodies.
Is this something that should worry us? Nah, I don’t think so. But what if? I mean, AI is already “conquering ” the world, but if we’re using it for good things, like learning, getting new information, and such, it isn’t a bad thing.
If you could teleport today, what would be the first thing you would do? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
You may also want to read about 7 Things From Outer Space That Will Destroy the World.
