Supposedly, in a classic episode of Doctor Who, the Doctor calculated that there was a non-zero chance for all of the molecules in a rubber ball to align with all of the molecules in a wall in such a way as to allow the ball to pass through the wall. He then spent some time bouncing the ball off of said wall to test the theory. Perhaps something similar could be a backup plan for the guy in this comic.
How is that possible? The ball is interacting with its own atoms via the electromagnetic field, right? Providing enough of a repellant force so it doesn’t phase through itself. Why would the wall be any different?
I thought this kind of thing was quantum tunneling.
Supposedly, in a classic episode of Doctor Who, the Doctor calculated that there was a non-zero chance for all of the molecules in a rubber ball to align with all of the molecules in a wall in such a way as to allow the ball to pass through the wall. He then spent some time bouncing the ball off of said wall to test the theory. Perhaps something similar could be a backup plan for the guy in this comic.
There’s a higher non-zero change for the ball to undergo a spontaneous nuclear explosion.
I never saw the episode myself, but I suspect that is not what happened in the episode.
Removed by mod
How is that possible? The ball is interacting with its own atoms via the electromagnetic field, right? Providing enough of a repellant force so it doesn’t phase through itself. Why would the wall be any different?
I thought this kind of thing was quantum tunneling.
Generally speaking, I would say that Doctor Who is more about whimsy than fact.
SCIENTIFIC whimsy!
Though quantum mechanics come awfully damn close to “wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.”
Removed by mod
New Who would let it actually happen when nobody was looking… then have the Doctor lament that without the ball, he’s just bored.
Removed by mod
that indeed is quantum tunneling