1 of 6

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

designs.

The point here is that no matter what we wish to examine, and no matter what we choose as our examining particle, sooner or later one of two things will always happen. Either the particle is too large to do the job anymore, or the particle is too energetic, so that it disturbs, or even worse, destroys whatever is being examined.

Much that we wish to examine is on the atomic or even subatomic scale. Photons quickly become useless. Electrons work for a while, but they soon also become useless. In fact, sooner or later, all known particles become useless as observing devices. Eventually, when you use an appropriate particle to determine the specific location of another particle, you so completely disrupt the motion of that particle that you have absolutely no idea when it was there (its "momentum"). Conversely, if you use an appropriate particle to determine the exact momentum of another particle, then you lose all information about its location.

Werner Heisenberg was the first scientist to quantify this information into what is now commonly known as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. In effect, the exact simultaneous position and momentum of any specific atomic or subatomic particle is forever unavailable. It's just part of how our universe is.

Now back to Kirk and Scotty.

For the transporter to work, it must measure the exact position and momentum of every single atom in the object to be transported, so it can transmit that information to the receiving site for reconstruction. It must make a precise template, and as we have seen that is forever impossible.

And that's the real reason why Kirk never said it, because Scotty can't do it!

Learn more about this author, Robert Williscroft.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about The scoop on the uncertainty principle?
We want to hear your view. Write now!