4 ms·

Could you explain how this would be faster than light? Wouldn't the particles be traveling at the speed of light?

by nsm 12y ago

maxerickson 12y ago
The idea is that you set up a stream of entangled particles and arrange it so that, for example, one stream is available at Earth at the same moment that the entangled particles are available on Mars. Then if you somehow gain the ability to twiddle the state of one end and measure the state of the other, you can communicate instantaneously. But the first step to doing this is to develop a brand new physics where it is actually possible. Results that confirm/refine the current understanding won't ever enable it.
- lisper 12y ago
  And it's been patented :-) https://www.google.com/patents/US20030133714 https://www.google.com/patents/US20030133714
phkahler 12y ago
>> Could you explain how this would be faster than light? Wouldn't the particles be traveling at the speed of light? As maxerickson says, you emit streams of entangled particles from a central location heading in opposite directions. People equidistant from that location can communicate instantaneously. Alice modulates the wave function collapse by either taking a measurement or not. Say measuring indicates a 1 and non-measurement indicates a 0. Bob over at the other end uses his ability to distinguish a collapsed wave function from a non-collapsed one to get 1's and 0's out the other end. Because the measurement induced wave function collapse is instantaneous this will be faster than light communication. Bob can tell weather Alice is measuring or not, right now. I stand by my assertion that physicists can not tell the difference. I'll also add that the reason is that there is no difference. But by all means continue to downvote without a counterexample.
- maxerickson 12y ago
  So if I understand correctly, this experiment is demonstrating that prior to Bob's measurement the wave function is spread out between the labs. I don't think that is the same thing as being able to detect a non-collapsed wave function (the design just assumes it exists, and the outcome implies that it is a useful description). Are you talking about something more than that?

Could you explain how this would be faster than light? Wouldn't the particles be traveling at the speed of light?

by nsm 12y ago

Could you explain how this would be faster than light? Wouldn't the particles be traveling at the speed of light?

The idea is that you set up a stream of entangled particles and arrange it so that, for example, one stream is available at Earth at the same moment that the entangled particles are available on Mars. Then if you somehow gain the ability to twiddle the state of one end and measure the state of the other, you can communicate instantaneously. But the first step to doing this is to develop a brand new physics where it is actually possible. Results that confirm/refine the current understanding won't ever enable it.

lisper 12y ago
And it's been patented :-) https://www.google.com/patents/US20030133714 https://www.google.com/patents/US20030133714

phkahler 12y ago

>> Could you explain how this would be faster than light? Wouldn't the particles be traveling at the speed of light? As maxerickson says, you emit streams of entangled particles from a central location heading in opposite directions. People equidistant from that location can communicate instantaneously. Alice modulates the wave function collapse by either taking a measurement or not. Say measuring indicates a 1 and non-measurement indicates a 0. Bob over at the other end uses his ability to distinguish a collapsed wave function from a non-collapsed one to get 1's and 0's out the other end. Because the measurement induced wave function collapse is instantaneous this will be faster than light communication. Bob can tell weather Alice is measuring or not, right now. I stand by my assertion that physicists can not tell the difference. I'll also add that the reason is that there is no difference. But by all means continue to downvote without a counterexample.

maxerickson 12y ago
So if I understand correctly, this experiment is demonstrating that prior to Bob's measurement the wave function is spread out between the labs. I don't think that is the same thing as being able to detect a non-collapsed wave function (the design just assumes it exists, and the outcome implies that it is a useful description). Are you talking about something more than that?