Dex Stewart wrote:
Scientists have discovered a way to teleport matter.
To be more exact, they found a way to create a molecule in a distant location which has the esact (sic) same properties of another molecule.
This is misleading, as it was probably meant to be. Scientists have not really teleported matter, but they have also not recreated a molecule. They have, which is still pretty amazing, transferred the quantum state of a photon (which is an elementary particle, not a molecule) from one place to another. The photon itself does not travel from point A to point B, but it does cease to exist at its origin once it is re-created at its destination. Pretty cool and don't expect me to explain it. This was done, I believe, about five years ago. More recently, two team of scientists apparently managed to transfer the quantum state of an entire atom from point A to point B. The distance however was less than 1/1000 of an inch. See this
article.
To sum up: although the main statement is correct if you use the quantum definition of "
teleportation"
, its supporting sentence is incorrect, as it was not a molecule, but an atom. Splitting hairs? Perhaps. But at least not splitting atoms.
Pinnacle wrote:
Well, technically, salt is ionic, not molecular.
Technically salt is a molecule formed by the ionic bond between a positive ion of sodium (Na+) and a negative ion of chlorine, aka chloride, (Cl-.) Although table salt is an
ionic compound, it not itself
ionic (i.e., positively or negatively charged.)
It is, however, molecular (i.e., consisting of molecules.)
[Last edited by noma at 04-14-2007 04:59 AM]
, so I'd advise everyone to check the first post.
.
Nice try.
