“A core phenomenon in quantum physics where two or more
subatomic particles become deeply connected so that the quantum state
of one particle cannot be described independently of the others, even
when they are separated by vast distances. Most atoms consist of
three primary subatomic particles."
The
Quantum Entanglement Machine
“I
am told that Dr Max Jennings together with his friend Isaac Bamford
have made significant strides into some obscure branch of physics.”
“Yes,
I have heard that rumour too, after the Nobel, no doubt! You do know
they both studied under that funny chap over at Trinity, what’s his
name, the one who mysteriously disappeared. Did they ever find out
what became of him?”
“Oh
yes, Butterworth or something, wasn’t it, ran off with the Dean’s
daughter, from what I heard, quite a scandal.”
The
two walked across the Great Court for luncheon at High Table.
“What
exactly are Bamford and Jennings working on?”
“I
have no idea, old chap, something to do with Quantum Entanglement,
I’m told.”
“What
rot. Didn’t Einstein debunk that theory back in ‘35?”
“Don’t
ask me, I have no idea. All I can think about is luncheon; I’m
starving. I hope they will be serving the ‘52 claret and not that
cheap plonk they tried to foist on us in the Michaelmas term.”
Meanwhile,
in a large laboratory, Professor Jennings paced
around a tall, complex machine like a large fridge with a glass
front; it hummed
quietly. Powerful magnets and electrical coils were attached to every
surface. Cables and pipes came out like tentacles, connecting it to
the walls, floor and ceiling of the laboratory. The whole room hummed
with some unseen power, and from the cooling pipes, frosty mist was
falling onto the floor, obscuring the men’s shoes. Their hair was
occasionally standing on end, as if the air was charged with static
electricity. Bamford looked doubtfully and said,
“I
don’t understand what this machine does, let alone how it works.”
Exasperated, Jennings said,
“Bamford,
I have tried to explain it before. It exploits a strange and
misunderstood phenomenon. Most physicists reject it
out
of ignorance because they claim it violates a fundamental law of
physics: the speed of light. It has long
been
understood that objects made of identical subatomic particles but
separated in space have a special and instantaneous connection, even
over vast distances. They are inexplicably ‘entangled.’ I know
Einstein has dismissed this concept as ‘spooky
action at a distance’; nevertheless, it remains a fact.”
“I’m
sorry, Jennings, but I still don’t understand?” Bamford said,
looking mystified. Jennings looked
into his bemused face, and with a great sigh said,
“Whatever
is done to one of a pair of ‘entangled objects’ instantaneously
affects the other, no matter the distance between them. I have
discovered how to exploit these phenomena.”
“You
mean this contraption
is one of a pair!”
“Indeed,
the other is with Professor Ziegler in Vienna. So,
if
I place an object into this chamber and activate the device, any
random arrangement of atoms contained in the
counterpart machine will rearrange into an
exact replica instantaneously, and
vice
versa,
provided
they
are
of
the same basic matter, of course.”
“I
see,” said Bamford hesitantly, like
a photocopier, you mean,” he said hesitantly, although
he looked sceptical.
“A
rather crude comparison, Bamford,
but yes,
essentially.
I’m
sure you can
see, the possibilities are endless! Even if the other device were on
the moon, or Mars, or even the other side of the galaxy, an exact
replica would appear instantaneously. You could build anything here
on Earth, and an exact copy would appear in the other device,
wherever it was. The two are entangled at
the Quantum level, but only whilst they remain inside the containment
field of their respective devices. What happens once they are
removed, I do not know. The
copy may well turn to dust.”
“Well,
it is a remarkable invention, Jennings!” Bamford said in
astonishment, “but if you cannot remove it from the chamber without
it crumbling to dust, it is utterly useless!”
The
telephone rang somewhere in the room. Jennings picked up the
receiver,
“Are
you ready, Professor Ziegler?” An indistinct reply was heard,
which may have been,
“Ja,”
followed by, “Treten
Sie zurück, ich platziere den Gegenstand jetzt in der
Kammer.“ (Stand
back, I am placing the object in the chamber now.)
Both Bamford and Jennings stood back, shielding their eyes as
something materialised in the chamber in
a blaze of bright light.
Astonished, Bamford reached for the door of the machine, but Jennings
grabbed him, shouting,
“No!
Don’t touch it! Not until the containment field is fully off. We do
not know what would happen if your arm entered that field whilst it
is still running.” Bamford
reeled back, looking shocked.
With the power off and the humming silent, they saw a small silver
cigarette case lying on the chamber floor. Bamford
knelt down to look through the chamber door at the small object. It
was perfect in every respect; an engraved inscription read, To
my dear son on Max on his acceptance to Trinity College, 1949.
After
examining the case carefully,
Bamford looked
straight at his old friend and said
seriously,
“What
would happen if a man stood in the chamber, would he be duplicated
too?”
His
voice was shaking slightly at the horrific prospect.
“No
one knows, Bamford.
We
have contemplated the thought, of course, but some things must surely
be forbidden. Creation of life belongs to The Almighty alone,”
he
said quietly. “We have only experimented with inanimate
objects so far. But living beings are a very different matter. A man
is so much more than molecules and atoms. Molecules and atoms are
simply the dust his body is made from. The
living man is the spirit that inhabits his body, and I’m sure that
that cannot be transmitted; it is unique. If you tried, what
materialised in the other chamber may
simply be an animated corpse, a biological object without purpose or
will. All Bios and no Zoe.” Both men shuddered at the thought.
Copyright
Christopher Mathews, November 2026
