Re: [Marxism] quantum information: putting certainty in the bank

[Les Schaffer <schaffer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paddy Apling wrote:

> I have read the popular exposition - and am as confused as ever - so
> took the suggestion to read the original article - but Nature wants
> $30 to present it.


i know someone who lives in sherwood forest who will send it to you for
free.

> Seems like all (even more of) that chemistry I had to learn to pass my
> degree exmaination and then completely forgot never to use again !!!



unfortunately, the clearest but hardest way to follow this is to go thru
the example in the paper that uses quantum mechanical schemes for
communicating information. otherwise one has to settle for kind-of-likes
and analogies. but the basic idea is that quantum mechanics plus
entangled states in the communication pipeline yield non-classical and
counter-intuitive results. and these results look nothing like
"everything is uncertain, we can't really know anything".

in other science news of some interest here:

o someone found an error in the experimental analysis of two researchers
who opposed global climate change prediction. the two have now
acknowledged the error, tho still contend things are not going to be
that bad. the issue relates to measurement of air temperatures in the
lower part of the troposphere. sans analysis error, all parts of the
atmosphere are warming up per global-climate models. this episode is
particularly interesting given that a key researcher (Mann) was called
before climate-change skeptics in Congress to "justify" his results
showing marked warming in the last century.

o new results from field research in Mexico show that GM maize has not
"taken over". these results seem to go against the claims of Chapela
from Berkeley (the one who was almost fired for speaking out against
biotech influence on campus). Monsanto of course has already waxed
prophetic about the new results. However, Chapela  claims taht the new
results could be in error due to faulty sampling of low-level signals.
other more independent minded researchers warn that Mexico should not
now become complacent and allow non-crushed corn seed into the country
from U.S.. clearly chapela should be defended against the biotech
industry attacks and loss of tenure regardless of how the mexican GM
survey comes out.

les schaffer



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