Some clever Aussie scientist at UQ have thought up a new way to transport matter at the speed of light.

The theory involves super-cooling matter to almost absolute zero so that the atoms enter a state called Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). In this state, all the atoms act the same way causing them to act as a macroscopic matterwave rather than individual particles.

So how do the atoms get from one place to another...?

Using two reserves of atoms already in BEC with a control laser beam passing through them, the matterwave is directed to the first reserve as a pulse. The first reserve absorbs a photon, which excites the atoms and causes a signal beam of photons to be emitted in the direction of the second reserve.

When the signal beam reaches the second reserve, the atoms absorb a photon from the beam and a pulse of atoms is emitted that resembles the initial matterwave.

So how long until we can tell the slightly overweight Scottish guy to beam us up...? Well, I wouldn't hold my breathe... :)

Check out ACQAO for more detailed information and a simulation. The original paper is also available, but I'd start with the UQ press release for a brief introduction to BEC and how this method differs to others.