brian says:

I have to say, the whole concept of teleportation by recreating cells and destroying the originals disturbs me.

It seems to me more like cloning and destroying. The person on the other end of the “teleportation station” would look, act, and have the exact same memories as you, but it wouldn’t have the same experiences as you. It wouldn’t be you. Would you die? or somehow be transferred to the other body?

Scary stuff.

As for innovations, I think the biggest and most useful innovations will be ones that we cant possibly imagine right now. I mean, in the 1800s, nobody even dreamed about the internet or Ipods.

I want very much to become a cyborg and so any bionic body parts would be a most welcome technological advancement.

I think that if teleportation counts, I’m going to have to say that time travel would be on my list. I’m not sure if it’s more or less likely than teleportation, but both would be pretty amazing. Where we came from (evolution, origin of life), divine origins of past religious figures, etc. could all be investigated.

Also, the National Science Foundation is addressing what you guys mentioned about graduate students becoming too specialized to solve large problems. They’ve started programs that specifically fund interdisciplinary research so that graduate students become well rounded and able to work across several disciplines. It’s not widespread, but at least they’re addressing the issue.

Love the podcast!

Jason says:

The body has to be destroyed in this kind of teleportation because, as part of the process, you are converted into a Bose-Einstein condensate. This is a strange form of matter that exists at temperatures near absolute zero.

The basic method is to “flash freeze” something, quickly reducing it to a Bose-Einstein condensate. All of the atoms will drop to their lowest quantum state, releasing all of their excess energy in a sort of “data burst.” If this data burst can be directed at another bunch of Bose-Einstein matter, it could transfer all of its data, including position of the electrons around the nucleus. Scientists have already used this method to teleport atoms.

Brian: it’s just as disturbing to me too. Like they said on the podcast, what happens to the soul? But I guess the body is being replaced all the time, not only because we are eating and breathing in new atoms and eliminating old ones, but also because virtual particles are constantly replacing our current ones. I tend to think the soul follows our consciousness, not the actual matter.

Regarding the Peter Principle, this is the first time I heard of this, but now I realize I actualy have seen it in action in the military. There is a constant ‘push’ for leadership positions in the military especially with higher rank.

I am in the medical field. What I have seen in the military medical field, especially primary care, is that it is staffed by newly trained physisicians and nurses. There are very few senior/experienced physicians or nurses to take care of patients. Many physicians usualy complete their obligations in 3-7 years then get out or take on leadership position and stop/reduce seeing patients whether they are good at leadership or not. The system does not encourage experience physicians to stay clinical and take care of patients. One basically either get out or take command. Basically, it’s set up so that you cannot do what you were trained to do if you want to stay and gain rank.

John says:

If we are going to end aging, I hope we also end birthing.

@Nick: I thought the same thing! Michael Scott & David Brent are prime examples of the Peter Principle. Maybe some writers from “The Office” listen to the podcast and will decide to work the term into a future episode.

Laura D. says:

I got nothin’ on the innovation front. My hope is that we can someday develop a complete understanding of the human brain. Any mechanism that would get us there would be an A++ innovation in my book.

Also, I know ya’ll have probably already been contacted by genuine experts regarding the condition, but “Drowsy Doug” pretty much described Sleep Paralysis, which is horrifying but generally harmless. Sounds like he needs to take a little trip to the sleep doc. Awesome meds to follow!

Hi Chuck & Josh great podcast.
I just listened to the Peter Principle and it was your email from Doug that prompted my reply. I have narcolepsy and one of the conditions that comes with that disorder/disease is cataplexy. Having narcolepsy means I’m slleep deprived all the time. My brain is missing the chemical that would tell the brain when to go to sleep or when it should be awake. Because of this it is random. 24 hours a day I.m up, down, up, down, up ,down ,up down. People assume I get a lot of sleep because they see me sleeping everywhere during the day. They don’t know that I’m awake through out half the night. Some nights I get more sleep than others but it’s never deep sleep because I’m never sleeping long enough to go beyond REM. When your in REM sleep your body is in sort of a paralyzed state the muscles are all relaxed. This paralysis is what keeps you lying in your bed while your dreaming about punching a guy in a pig suit.
Cataplexy is caused by confusion in my brain. I’m not confused just my brain is. I will give you some examples because right it probably seems like I’m not making sense.
(1#) I get in a heated argument with my girlfriend, as my temper rises I decide to storm out of the room. I walk 3 feet and my legs give out and I fall on the floor. I’m full awake and coherent but my muscles suddenly completely relaxed. After about 25 second my muscle come back under my control, I get up and I’m back to normal.
(2#) I’m very funny, no one thinks so more that myself. In a conversation with my friends I will attempt to make some comment that is brilliantly funny. I don’t get to finish making my witty comment instead I fall down and lay on the ground for 30 seconds.

(3#) I’m playing disc golf with my friends (like golf but with discs) and I’m very good at it. When its my turn to drive I know even before the disc has left my fingers that it was beautiful and my friends are going to be amazed by my incredible skill. Normal procedure is to high-five your buddy after a great shot but I’m lying on the ground in a heap. Once I recover we play out the hole head to the next tee and repeat the scenario.

For some reason in when Im feeling strong emotions, laughter, anger, or feeling extremely proud of an accomplishment, my brain thinks that I am dreaming and relaxes my muscles.

Sometimes I fall asleep and wake up a short while later and I’m unable to move for a minute or two. I’m aware of everything around me going on and I cant even speak. Another strange thing that happens is I will be dreaming but I’m not completely asleep. My eyes are open and I can see but my brains is still sleeping and dreaming. Sometimes my my girlfriend will be talking to someone or maybe someone on the TV is talking and I will join the conversation. Usually it’s unintelligible gibberish but occasionally it coherent but lacks any sense.
I think Doug may be experiencing mild narcolepsy and cataplexy. He should see a doctor so that his life does not become s gong show like mine.
\
Michael Duffield
2408 Upland Street
Vancouver, BC V5S 2B5

HEY!!!!

Thank you for reading my letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was literally jumping around the room screaming, THANK YOU!

Wow, insane.

Jason says:

Corey, eating lots of garlic or taking garlic pills is almost like a bug spray pill. Not quite, but it’s pretty good.

Aine says:

Dear Messrs Catchers-mitt and Bryant,
I am a humble piano technician living in the South Island of New Zealand, for my sins I toil away each day all alone in a dingy, dreary, dirty and Dickensian workshop, restoring old pianos to their former glory and hoping that someone mad and rich enough will come through the door and buy one!
Apart from the man who comes to read the meter, listening to your podcasts are the highlight of my day and prevent me from going mad from boredom! They help to make the day go quicker, also fantasies about a young David Gilmour coming into the shop, serenading me (even though he’s a guitarist and not a pianst) with Echoes part one and then making love to me on the most expensive piano in the shop (which he has also just purchased (cash up front))

Anyway….keep em coming, they’re fantastic….I thought I could make some suggestions….how about a podcast on the Hanaford waste site on the Colombia river? Also, you could check out the story of the Tapawera eruption in New Zealand. I am an Irish woman and would love to hear some Irish stuff….Oh, famine, starving prisoners of war….(I know you touched on that, but there’s so much more to the story…ie dirty protests, smuggling letters on zig zag papers under foreskins and did you know that Bobby Sands was an elected British MP when he died?)
Oh, and one more thing…..I’d love if you could dig up some dirt on the Kiwi’s…..they think they’re soooooooooo perfect!

Thanks guys,
Aine