Teleportation

For other uses, see Teleportation (disambiguation).

Teleportation is the transfer of matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them, similar to the concept apport, an earlier word used in the context of spiritualism.

Etymology

The word teleportation was coined in 1931 by American writer Charles Fort to describe the strange disappearances and appearances of anomalies, which he suggested may be connected. He joined the Greek prefix tele- (meaning "distant") to the Latin verb portare (meaning "to carry"). Fort's first formal use of the word was in the second chapter of his 1931 book, Lo!: "Mostly in this book I shall specialize upon indications that there exists a transportory force that I shall call Teleportation." Fort added "I shall be accused of having assembled lies, yarns, hoaxes, and superstitions. To some degree I think so myself. To some degree, I do not. I offer the data." Fort suggested that teleportation might explain various allegedly paranormal phenomena, although it is difficult {{citation}}: Empty citation (help) to say whether Fort took his own "theory" seriously or instead used it to point out what he saw as the inadequacy of mainstream science to account for strange phenomena.

The word teletransportation, which simply expands Charles Fort's abbreviated term, was first employed by Derek Parfit as part of a thought exercise on identity.

See also

• Quantum teleportation
• Teleportation in fiction
• Wormhole