The physicists have been watching too much Star Trek lately..
What's next? Replicators and transporters?
(Actually, they are plasuble in theory, as it does not violate any rule of physics to "Replicate" items out of existing matter. Transporting also does not violate rules of physics as you are not creating or destroying matter, you are only changing it's state)
I prefer the hyperspace travel in Stargate and Battlestar Galactica...
So the question is... Is a person who has been transported the same person who left, or a copy?
And what happens when a transporter duplicates someone? One soul or two?
And I've seen references to the fact that a replicator uses "stock" to recreate its stuff... Is that what happens to all the waste?
If so... our dumps would become "prime" real estate if they ever do get a replicator working. Lots of raw materials there.
I think replicators are going to be plausible within our lifetimes, we call them nano-assemblers.