Why I’ll never invent the transporter!

After reading this article on scientists achieving a turning point in fusion energy this morning, and the associated comments, I was reminded of a conversation that I had with one of my co-workers that I later relayed to my wife. She suggested at the time that I write a blog on my thoughts, but I never did until this morning. So here is why I’ll never invent the transporter!

Let’s start with the basics.

A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the many Star Trek series whereas the device converts a person or object into an energy pattern (a process called dematerialization), then “beams” that energy pattern to a target, where it is reconverted into matter (re-materialization). ¹

Based on that description you can probably imagine all the great things it would be able to do in today’s world. Like instant gratification of purchases made online, travel anywhere in the world instantly, fresher produce since the food could get to you quicker and from anywhere in the world (Mmm Maui Gold Pineapples anywhere), and you wouldn’t have to worry about Amazon’s Drones falling out of the sky. There would no longer be a need for planes, trains, or automobiles. Heck without the need for all these vehicles maybe that will mean that SkyNet will never be able to take over.

But how much does the transportation industry fuel our economy? And how many people would be directly affected with it not being needed anymore? To figure this out I included some excerpts from a Bureau of Transportation Statistics report. ²

In 2002, transportation-related goods and services accounted for more than 10 percent—over $1 trillion—of U.S. Gross Domestic Product. ³

One out of every seven jobs in the United States is transportation related. Transportation jobs in transportation industries as well as in nontransportation industries employed nearly 20 million people in 2002, accounting for 16 percent of U.S. total occupational employment.

Security Concerns and the Black Market

Despite each governments attempt to regulate border crossings through strict immigration controls, you still hear the many reports of illegal aliens getting into the country. Either through underground tunnels from Mexico, crossing in through the wilderness of Canada, coming in on a raft from Cuba, or being shipped in containers from China. With this technology making it possible to travel anywhere in the world instantly. No mater how many controls are put in place, how quickly do you think the black market would find a way to get around those controls to make money? I can only imagine, fairly quickly.

And with the ability to get around the controls to sneak people into countries around the world, how quickly would they be able to sell that work around so that a terrorist could transport a bomb directly into a sensitive location, like the White House or the center of a nuclear energy plant? Or be used to kidnap high value targets?

Health Concerns

With the de-materialization and re-materialization, are there benefits to scanning the data stream for viruses, cancers, or other diseases and removing them from the stream before the re-materialization to cure people of those diseases, similar to a virus scan software on your computer. But, if it can remove items like that, could it also be used to plant items in your body, such as tracking devices? Or through sabotage to make the whole world sterile? Could that mean the end of the human race?

And now the truly disturbing part for me, would the ability to cure any disease through this manner mean that people wouldn’t die of natural causes and people would live for an extremely long period? Our population growth is already out of control, but I guess with this technology it could make it easier to colonize Mars at the same time.

What Happens to the Inventor(s)

One might think that to be the inventor of such a device would mean being rich and famous. But, in today’s short tempered environment and general distrust for fellow human kind what would likely happen to said inventor(s)?

Since a father can be shot dead in a movie theatre for texting his daughter during the movie previews⁴, one wouldn’t have to think too hard for some possible outcomes for the person that puts 20 million people out of a job and sinks 10% of the US GDP. Obviously, the inventor(s) and their company would replace some of the GDP and job losses, but they would never be able to replace all of the losses.

During the conversations with my co-worker, we theorized that an assassination by long gun would be the most likely way that the inventor would go. Another theorized outcome, would be hacking the teleporter and teleporting the inventor into outer space, obviously without a space suit. Because if you did have a space suit, you could have an crazy ride down to earth, like the Red Bull Stratos.

Conclusion

I doubt that in my life time I will ever see this technology come to life. But, with all my moral and self-preservation instincts, I certainly won’t be the one to invent such a game changer. Maybe the fact that the technology didn’t come into existence until after the third world war on Earth and and the creation of the Federation in a money-less “New World Order,” the Star Trek writers knew that this technology would cause too many problems in today’s world.

For now I will sit back and enjoy those long flights on a jet plane. Maybe I will even watch a Star Trek movie on my next flight.

Wikipedia: Star Trek Transporter (back)
Economic Impact on Transportation, Link (back)
Transportation-related purchases include all consumer and government purchases of goods (e.g., vehicles and fuel) and services (e.g., auto insurance) and exports related to transportation (back)
CNN: Dad’s texting to daughter sparks argument, fatal shooting in movie theater (back)