Black holes: The ultimate quantum computers?

[The Revolution]

Nearly all of the information that falls into a black hole escapes back out, a controversial new study argues. The work suggests that black holes could one day be used as incredibly accurate quantum computers – if enormous theoretical and practical hurdles can first be overcome.

Black holes are thought to destroy anything that crosses a point of no return around them called an "event horizon". But in the 1970s, Stephen Hawking used quantum mechanics to show black holes do emit radiation, which eventually evaporates them away completely.

Originally, he argued that this "Hawking radiation" is so random that it could carry no information out about what had fallen into the black hole. But this conflicted with quantum mechanics, which states that quantum information can never be lost. Eventually, Hawking changed his mind and in 2004 famously conceded a bet, admitting that black holes do not destroy information.

But the issue is far from settled, says Daniel Gottesman of the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Canada. "Hawking has changed his mind, but a lot of other people haven't," he told New Scientist. "There are still a lot of questions about what's really going on."

http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn8836.html

Ok, maybe I'm wrong about this, but I thought it was impossible to transmit information through entanglement. Otherwise, aren't you violating special relativity if you can transmit information at faster than the speed of light? What am I missing here? Just when I think I'm getting a handle on quantum mechanics...

I also saw this article the other day:
http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/mg18925423.600-three-cosmic-enigmas-one-audacious-answer.html
Which describes a theory that solves the "information destruction" problem by removing black holes all together (and also accounts for dark matter and energy).

[ewagner]

1. After years of reading

and trying to deal with all the information in my own, math-challenged way, I've come to but one conclusion about Quantum Mechanics....

they're making this shit up as they go along..... :evilgrin:

[monktonman]

2. There is also a danger

of quantum mechanics becoming some new religion.

[ewagner]

3. That's also true....

When you look at cloud chamber photos and Feynman diagrams, you can see something...."spiritual" in it.....