Big thanks to @Astroengine for explaining this theory to me and linking to a post about it. You should follow him, he’s great.
Quantum Energy Teleportation could change the way we conduct space habitation. This game changing possibility works by copying the traits of on particle to another. Imagine two word documents, one call ParticalA.doc and another, blank one called ParticleB.doc, Quantum Energy Teleportation would be like cutting the contents of ParticleA.doc and then pasting that information into ParticleB.doc. Thus, you will move the file without moving the actual document. Only, Quantum Energy Teleportation destroys the source particle.
First, there are a ton of really cool ideas for applications in space settlement in the first comment, written by MrT, to the Discovery News article Teleporting Energy. I think there are some really interesting ideas in that comment that should be explored.
But I would like to explore another aspect of this technology. The search for energy is the driving force of space habitation. But, without the lost energy due to traditional means of transmissions, there would be no reason for humans to leave Earth. But, the critic may say “but there are rare resources and minerals that are abundant in space”.
I reject the criticism, with energy teleported to us directly from the sun and power planets on other planets would make artificial transmutation child’s play. The ability to transmit information faster then the speed of light would mean that telepresence can be established on any planet.
But, this might not all be bad for space habitation. This method of using space might be cheaper and safer then sending people, thus it would allow humanity to use space faster and maybe using those supplies will keep comfortable on Earth until we are ready to settle space.
In Case You Skimmed
-The ability to teleport energy reduces the market force of space settlement
Reactions
-Without energy demands driving us, what other reasons could we have for space settlement?
Resources
Photo credit: Flickr user Kliefi
arXiv:1002.0200v1 [quant-ph]
Ouellette,Jennifer , “Teleporting Energy” Weblog entry. Discovery News. February 4, 2010. February 8, 2010 <http://news.discovery.com/space/teleporting-energy.html>
