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Physics of the Impossible

independent.co.uk — Michio Kaku predicts a future of teleportation and starships.

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  • JDoms, on 07/06/2008, -2/+19I wonder how impossible it is to develop an improbability drive.
    • Danls92, on 07/06/2008, -1/+13Infinitely
    • cquinnd, on 07/07/2008, -0/+11Actually, it is only virtually impossible, which gives it a finite (but very high) improbability.
      • 2Bnor2B, on 07/07/2008, -0/+5Once you figure it out you will also need a fresh cup of really hot tea.
    • fmtoffolo, on 07/07/2008, -1/+942
    • Shadic, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8It's not impossible, just improbable.
    • Jingoism, on 07/07/2008, -7/+7Yes, 6 times 9 equals 42? The answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything!
      • vpshockwave, on 07/07/2008, -9/+3Been to many math classes?
      • oneoverzero, on 07/07/2008, -3/+8You're forgetting the crucial "In base 13."
      • notoneofus, on 07/07/2008, -1/+6@vpshockwave: It certainly helps if you've read the book being referenced.
    • Key2gb, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1i only want one if it comes with Marvin
  • djsim, on 07/06/2008, -3/+44NEED A TELEPORTER HERE!
    • jacko87, on 07/07/2008, -5/+4Spys sappin' my teleporter....TELEPORTER DOWN!!!
    • DeathJux, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3As unexpected as it was delightful, lol.
    • Tyrghast, on 07/07/2008, -4/+3WE MUST PUSH LITTLE CART!!!
    • Woaz, on 07/07/2008, -7/+4Dugg comment for TF2 reference.
      • tehknotte, on 07/07/2008, -2/+2I am not surprised to see, once again, some digger having to show that he knows where a reference is from. BURIED! And don't argue that "OH it's to let other people in on a joke so they can find out about it too" because if people don't know about Team Fortress 2 they probably won't know what TF2 is.
      • twiztidsinz, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2lol seriously...
        I've never played TF2 or even TF1 and I get the joke.
    • dilibau, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1roger! one teleporter coming up!
    • dtele, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2I thought I heard someone call for a TELEGRAPH REPORTER
      /slinks out
    • thegodfaza, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2The most common idea of how a teleporter would work is an idea that many wouldn't find comforting. To put it in the words of how it was explained to me:
      You have the teleporter, which will be represented by a phone booth. You walk into the phone booth and dial up where you want to go. The phone booth scans your body and records the position and velocity of every atom in your body. Then it sends that information to the receiving end. There a duplicate is constructed. On your end there is a device that destroys the original. Lets make it a guy with a shotgun. So you walk into the phone booth, dial up where you want to go, get scanned, and then take a shotgun blast to the chest. Though the device that destroys the original would most likely be a laser that vaporizes you.
      • danlowlite, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1Yeah, I explain it by referencing the movie "The Prestige," which was really good. Even if I had a hard time believing David Bowie as Tesla (at first).

        I don't want to spoil it, but I guess by even putting my comment here, there is a slight spoilage element. But it's only one plot twist, so I guess it's not that bad.
  • Kirly, on 07/06/2008, -1/+8great. i've been waiting 40 years for a teleporter. when you're done with that, build me a personal shield. that's right, one which will be impervious to everything from fists to bullets to bombs.
    • shakbhaji, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1But you'll still be vulnerable to attacks when you're peein'/dookin'. That or you'll have a real mess on the inside of your personal shield...
      • WhoDoneIt, on 07/07/2008, -1/+0Catheter my friend. Enough said. :)
      • netdroid9, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1Phh, you can poop in your impervious shield-suit all you like, me? I'm gunna make a shield-house.

        ...Wait, these aren't invisible shields, are they?
    • Jarasmen, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2But with personal shields we can't use lasguns...
  • Swarms, on 07/06/2008, -2/+27Yeah, well they're still about 8 1/2 years late on my flying car delivery.
  • foxhaze, on 07/06/2008, -20/+2I predict that we will have space ships one day.

    Wow, I feel like a prominent theoretical physicist. I don't know how the HELL I was able to come to that conclusion as easily as I just did. That's today's education system, for you! You can thank me when we've got space ships. And Michio, you can thank Star Trek for your insight. We know you didn't come up with this ***** yourself.
    • cynicalcheeto, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10What is science but one man's thoughts, experiments, and observations on top of another man's notes and papers and theories? Do you think any advancement would be accomplished if we didn't work on the foundations laid by those who came before us? You clearly have a lot to learn, and I suggest you start with history.

      Additionally, you missed the point completely. Congrats! That's what you get for just reading the tagline.
    • migatikon, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7Kaku is the co-author of String Theory. He is a prominent physicist and a professor at NYU. I think you may be underestimating his work along with the book upon which this piece is based. Maybe you fear science? Maybe you feel like you're helpless under the jack-boot of progress? My suggestion: educate yourself. Start with Sagan, he's wonderful at explaining science in terms the public can appreciate. Next, try at a good institute of higher education, maybe even a JC. They're better than you might think. See where it leads. Who knows, you might learn something about the contribution of great men and thinkers like Kaku. After all, the life you know--every last facet of your existence--is in some way touched by the reason of the scientific method.

      One last thing: we already have spaceships. FYI.
    • notoneofus, on 07/07/2008, -0/+6You really have no idea what or whom you're talking about, do you?
  • jake1986, on 07/07/2008, -7/+24Michio Kaku is my Jesus.
  • Sornos, on 07/07/2008, -3/+44Dugg for Michio Kaku.
  • chaos7, on 07/07/2008, -6/+4i wanna teleport some hot chicks to where i am
    • redxninja, on 07/07/2008, -0/+14That would be a Class 3 impossibilities....
  • treyevans, on 07/07/2008, -1/+5I love reading these articles, but they are always more or less the same thing. LHC, hurry and get here please.
  • SugarCoatedSalt, on 07/07/2008, -2/+10michio kaku is the man, he knows his *****.
  • rationalbeats, on 07/07/2008, -2/+46I'm proud to say that in 1994 I read Hyperspace by Michio Kaku and I searched for him on AOL and found him very easily and wrote him an e-mail, and he wrote me back.

    Yay, so I am old, whatever.
    • Tyrghast, on 07/07/2008, -3/+131994... *gasp* Do you remember dial-up?!?!? And floppy drives?!?!
    • twiztidsinz, on 07/07/2008, -0/+13Yeah well.. I sent him a drawing of him flying around like Superman. He wrote me back to say he hung it on his fridge.
    • falstaff, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4Speaking of impossible...did I just see a Digger admit to using AOL? The only thing that would blow my mind more is a bunch of pro-RIAA articles reaching the front page.
  • withoutamartyr, on 07/07/2008, -1/+26If there are celebrities amongst scientists, Michio Kaku is the Christian Bale of theoretical physics.
    • norman619, on 07/07/2008, -12/+3Sorry but you are either overstating Bale's standing in Hollywood or understating Michio Kaku's position in the world of theoretical physics.
      • kd7tck, on 07/07/2008, -0/+10dude don't diss the batman. That movie will knock every other batman movie on it's ass.
      • twiztidsinz, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Will? The first one already has.
        We got another hitting theaters soon and most likely another 2, dare I say 3? more.
        As far as I'm concerned, even if the rest of the movies go down hill, they'd still have a better average than the original movies.
      • BlackJacket, on 07/07/2008, -4/+0Yeah, Bale is in the new Brad Pitt, without all that tabloid nonsense. He'll be in the new Terminator movie too.

        The only difference between Christian Bale and Michio Kaku is that I've heard of Bale.
    • oneoverzero, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2Who is Brian Cox, then?
    • LucasVB, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1What do you mean, "if"?
    • nihility, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Would that make Neil deGrasse Tyson the Morgan Freeman of theoretical physics?
  • WhoDoneIt, on 07/07/2008, -14/+2What?!?

    "An esteemed theoretical physicist"... Where the ***** can I get a title like that? It sounds important, means absolutely nothing and allows you to be right 50% of the time and wrong the other 50% while being paid stupid amount of coin and getting your work published worldwide.

    I guess I should have eaten my Brussels Sprouts, sorry dad.
    • ripple123, on 07/07/2008, -3/+2well cmon now, if hes calling himself a theoretical physicist he must have been able to at least squeeze out a degree of some sort. physics degrees are nothing to sneeze at...
      • WhoDoneIt, on 07/07/2008, -5/+0Not saying a Physics degree is anything to sneeze at. But when you've got one and you think you can take it to the next level and call yourself a "theoretical physicist", that's when I have issues.

        But then again. I should just call myself a "theoretical pornstar."
    • oneoverzero, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Theoretical physicists are to physicists as inventors are to engineers. There's a great deal of overlap, and they're both pretty important.
    • notoneofus, on 07/07/2008, -0/+5Er, Newton, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Fermi, Oppenheimer, Feynman, Dyson, Hawking...a few examples of theoretical physicists. I'm pretty sure they didn't "mean absolutely nothing."
    • Azerael, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3Theoretical Physics is a 6-year study in the usage of crowbars and in combating extraterrestrial life-forms. To be an 'esteemed' theoretical physicist is sort of like being a master at karate.

      Needless to say, you don't ***** with Theoretical Physicists.
  • welliwonder, on 07/07/2008, -2/+14Michio Kaku rocks.
  • username7410, on 07/07/2008, -5/+2This is a book review, so this "article" is light on substance.
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    • chaosblade77, on 07/07/2008, -2/+13Is that a new one, or have I just been reading the wrong articles?
    • zombies187, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Cool! Now do a sad Zoidberg! "OHhhhh..."
  • kd7tck, on 07/07/2008, -1/+7If anyone listens to coast to coast am, Kaku is a regular guest and is on at least annually.
    http://www.coasttocoastam.com/guests/3.html
    • WhoDoneIt, on 07/07/2008, -3/+2A regular guest is one that is on annually? Right on.
      • 180andback, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4Go be a douchebag somewhere else.
      • BlackJacket, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1I listen to Coast to Coast everytime. Wonder why I didn't connect Kaku? Still can't say I've heard of him.

        I love Coast to Coast, but you realize that most of the topics that so-called "experts" talk about is all nonsense. Its just for fun.
  • tweedius, on 07/07/2008, -2/+4Michio Kaku is always interesting to watch on History Channel and Discovery Channel type documentaries and he is very charismatic. However, I have talked to one of my physics professors about him, and this professor does great work for NASA on the Spitzer telescope, from what I can tell from my conversations with him, Michio is a little far fetched and does like to stretch it just a little bit.

    That doesn't mean when he talks I don't listen, but don't get toooo excited is what I'm saying.
    • gn0stik, on 07/07/2008, -0/+12He's a theoretical physicist who built an atom smasher for his 6th grade science fair. He's probably pretty optimistic about the future of technology. We need more guys like Kaku and less guys like your boxed in prof.
    • thund3rstruck, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Well then your professor is an idiot because Kaku's work is brilliant, particularly his work on M-Theory. Go read Parallel Worlds or Hyperspace and tell me that the guy is far-fetched.
  • cynicalcheeto, on 07/07/2008, -0/+15As a hopeless dork, I approve this message.
  • perusemedia, on 07/07/2008, -7/+1For all that have yet to realize: If time travel was possible than someone from the future would have gone to the past (our present) and leave some evidence of time travel if not that then we would see him/her.
    • Rally603, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7You're obviously not nerdy enough to know the intricacies of time travel.

      Coming from someone who is: you're wrong.
      • MacEnvy, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3To further explain Rally's statement, a multiverse reality doesn't require that anyone visit "our" timeline, ever, for there to be time travel in the future that reaches into "our" past.
    • WhoDoneIt, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2You are assuming that there are people ahead of us. Sad, I know, but it's a possibility.
    • BlackJacket, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1I have achieved time travel. Its really not what you think.
  • M724, on 07/07/2008, -0/+5I'm putting Michio Kaku's book in my "to-get" list. All that's left is to figure out the impossibility level of that happening.
  • Rally603, on 07/07/2008, -3/+2Psh, I predicted a future with teleportation and starships when I was 9.

    • chaosblade77, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7You're not a theoretical physicist though.
      • Rally603, on 07/08/2008, -0/+1I thought that's what made it impressive...
    • BlackJacket, on 07/07/2008, -3/+2No, he was a 9-year-old kid. Thats way more impressive. This guy had to get a degree in physics to make his predictions. He's way behind the times.

      George Lucas invented all these things way back in the 70's.
      • notoneofus, on 07/07/2008, -0/+8George Lucas facilitated effects-heavy filmmaking and arguably paved the way for science fiction becoming mainstream. But he didn't invent anything in either a science fiction or theoretical physics sense.
      • BlackJacket, on 07/07/2008, -3/+2The key word being "theoretical". All these scientists rattle on about all the advanced technology and future possibilities, yet I still don't have my jet pack or a full meal in pill form.

        You can theorize all you want. Da Vinci and I have something in common. We both drew up blueprints for helicopters that don't fly.
  • cutekelvins, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7pics or it wont happen.
  • com2, on 07/07/2008, -2/+5Gene Roddenberry may not have been a scientist but he was a very future thinking man. A lot of what he thought up is coming true. If you think about the 1960's, when he came up with his story there were no cell phones/tricorders. Lasers and computers were barely being used by just a very few. Self opening doors at the supermarket still had the the pads you had to walk on before the door would open.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physics_and_Star_Trek
    • WhoDoneIt, on 07/07/2008, -3/+1And how many of that didn't come true? I could predict a shot load of stuff that I think will happen 30 years from now. It would make for a good sci-fi book. Even better if it comes true.
      • com2, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1More star trek tech is possible and coming down the pipe than is not. So it would be easier to list what is not come true.
    • Jesse, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3May or may not have been? He was not a scientist. He was a tremendous valet for science, but he wasn't a scientist.
      • com2, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1That is what the "but" was for in my post. I never said he was a scientist.
  • s2pidass, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3the article makes a good point about what we thought was impossible 200 years ago and what actually happened. I mean who the hell are we to say that within 200 or maybe even 20 years, time travel and teleportation and all that good stuff will be possible.....
  • redxninja, on 07/07/2008, -3/+3psychokinesis? ***** I want this ability.
  • mcnab32, on 07/07/2008, -0/+7You think we have an obesity epidemic now, can you imagine when I can teleport my ass toi mcgrits, pick up a burger and fries, then teleport my ass back to the couch? Hellll yah!
  • rlbond86, on 07/07/2008, -0/+3He has a terrific radio show called "Science Fantastic" every Saturday from 5-8 PM EST. Really far-out stuff.
  • TaintBrush, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2I have a degree in theoretical physics as well. It's nothing made up.

    (I don't use it, I'm a filmmaker instead. But you know.)
  • vinceislegend, on 07/07/2008, -1/+9Michio Kaku sounds like the name of a pretty sweet Pokemon.
  • ShatterWulf, on 07/07/2008, -1/+2I've been reading the physics of the impossible actually, It's amazing.
  • BlackJacket, on 07/07/2008, -2/+3As a time traveler, I can assure you that he's wrong. There aren't starships or teleporters in the future. Everything is actually pretty retro. Even if it exists even further in the future than I have traveled, it doesn't matter.

    "WOW! You have a ray gun? Yeah? I got a time machine. I win."
  • serpentor, on 07/07/2008, -1/+6Physics of the Impossible - audiobook torrent

    http://btjunkie.org/torrent/Michio-Kaku-Physics-of ...
  • dtfinch, on 07/07/2008, -2/+1I knew just from glancing at the description that he wants to sell me a book.
  • Hellothere123, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Why would we need hyperspace travel if we could just teleport?
    • Azerael, on 07/07/2008, -0/+6Someone would have to get to the receiving end first to build the receiver, right?
  • Aurakle, on 07/07/2008, -1/+4While I don't know enough to make a judgement as to whether or not these seemingly fantastic things are probable in the near future, I have to say that it is refreshing to know that there are people who don't "know the meaning of the word 'impossible'".
  • Ploosheeta, on 07/07/2008, -1/+7Hello from the past!
  • TheImaginator, on 07/07/2008, -4/+1I usually like reading these whimsical fantasies of theoretical physicists - and they always back up the arguments in these articles by saying 'but if x hundred years ago you asked somebody about television or the internet or landing on the moon'.
    Must have been a very slow news day indeed; and I'm bored of reading about all this fantastic stuff and it hasn't happened yet.
    Buried.
  • fquednau, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1So do I, but noone cares :)
  • hiplobonoxa, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2this guy wrote an article a few weeks ago for popular mechanics on the season four finale of lost. i think it actually may have been on digg. his book has been on my night stand ever since. although i've poked through it and it looks awesome, i've got a few other books on the reading queue to get through first. ;)

    here's the article for those of you who may missed it: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/4 ...
    • Viz200, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Cool read -- I missed that article when it came out.
  • Mexrocker, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Anyone ever meet the man in person? He is a short man...

    Sad to say I was star-struck when I first saw him LOL
  • DiddyWolf, on 07/07/2008, -0/+4Dugg for the TARDIS on the cover of his book.

    ...And Michio Kaku is really awesome too.
  • Mothity, on 07/07/2008, -1/+1This book has been out for ages - you should read it.
  • Viz200, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1This is an excellent book -- one of my favorites after Hyperspace.

    Great, well worth watching several part interview with Michio Kaku on Physics of the Impossible at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnkE2yQPw6s
  • Beestie, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0I used to think Michio Kaku was cool but now he just gets on my nerves. Lots of recycled big ideas and recycled cool things to think about but short on original material.
  • rmeddy, on 07/07/2008, -0/+2Dugg for Doctor Who police box.
  • kveratis, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0Precognition is a Class III Impossibility? Clearly he hasn't heard about the CIA's Project Stargate (A real program, not the TV show). They have achieved this already with some limited success, but well above that of mere chance.
  • jaymzdean, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1Because the earth is moving through space at such an incredible speed, if they ever figure out how to teleport to any time in the future or past, the earth will be somewhere else when they re-materialize.
    You go first.
  • andjew, on 07/07/2008, -0/+1http://www.fulldls.com/torrent-ebooks-992276.html
  • cyanxx, on 07/07/2008, -0/+0I like it how his worm hole transportation of choice is the telephone box from Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure...
  •  

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