Question about the replicators on Star Trek...

[superduperman]

Where does the matter that the replicators use come from? Are people just basically eating their own poop?

[Alan2099]

Copied directly from wikipedia

A replicator works by rearranging subatomic particles, which are abundant everywhere in the universe, to form molecules and arrange those molecules to form the object. For example, to create a pork chop, the replicator would first form atoms of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc., then arrange them into amino acids, proteins, and cells, and assemble the particles into the form of a pork chop.

Although this is listed under the "theory" category. An actual explanation has never been presented in canon.

[Innocent Bystander]

Copied directly from wikipedia


Although this is listed under the "theory" category. An actual explanation has never been presented in canon.

I thought they tied the replicators to the transporters in the episode with Moriarity?

[Jokerz79]

Where does the matter that the replicators use come from? Are people just basically eating their own poop?

[Toreador]

Food replicators use a basic protein (something like tofu) along with organic chemicals which combines and rearranges the matter into different foods and drinks (steak/baked potato/tea/milk shake) according to the program selected. Uneaten food is broken down and recycled back into the replicator reducing waste. There was a Voyager episode where Tom Paris and Neelix were sent down to a planet to gather organic materials to replenish the replicator stores on board and maybe another episode where the crew was gathering plants to be used in the replicators.

For other things (clothing, boots, equipment) I think there is a set amount of raw material on board to replicate the items and worn out/broken items are recycled back into the replicators to be remade.

[Tofali]

I thought they tied the replicators to the transporters in the episode with Moriarity?

they couldn't even beam him out of the holodeck so how would they even be able to transport a hologram without a mobile emitter?

[Totoro Man]

the prop master puts them inside.

but to tackle the question more seriously:

it's techno-magic. any possible explanation just high-lights how completely ridiculous and fantastic the concept is. and by "fantastic" I mean to say, "that's impossible, but it would be awfully handy!" it probably tastes like vending machine food. ;-)

[Osiris-Rex]

I thought they tied the replicators to the transporters in the episode with Moriarity?

Yes, I understood that the replicator could create objects the same way a transporter could recreate a fully clothed and armed person in another location. The transporter basically scans a person,
disassembles the person in the original locations and then reassembles them in the target location using the data from the scan. The person isn't actually transported. They are destroyed and then
an exact duplicate is created somewhere else. The replicator has a library of programs of various food and objects and assembles the item in the same way except the item isn't destroyed first somewhere
else.

[superduperman]

Yes, I understood that the replicator could create objects the same way a transporter could recreate a fully clothed and armed person in another location. The transporter basically scans a person,
disassembles the person in the original locations and then reassembles them in the target location using the data from the scan. The person isn't actually transported. They are destroyed and then
an exact duplicate is created somewhere else. The replicator has a library of programs of various food and objects and assembles the item in the same way except the item isn't destroyed first somewhere
else.

So technically everyone's been dead since their first assignment!

[superduperman]

Food replicators use a basic protein (something like tofu) along with organic chemicals which combines and rearranges the matter into different foods and drinks (steak/baked potato/tea/milk shake) according to the program selected. Uneaten food is broken down and recycled back into the replicator reducing waste. There was a Voyager episode where Tom Paris and Neelix were sent down to a planet to gather organic materials to replenish the replicator stores on board and maybe another episode where the crew was gathering plants to be used in the replicators.

For other things (clothing, boots, equipment) I think there is a set amount of raw material on board to replicate the items and worn out/broken items are recycled back into the replicators to be remade.

Thank you! This has actually been very comprehensive and explanatory!

[Osiris-Rex]

So technically everyone's been dead since their first assignment!

At least they solved the problem of what happens if a fly gets into the transporter.

[Jim Kelly]

I'm old enough to have watched the original series when it first aired and over that time I've seen things that were fantastic at the time become reality. So food replicators don't seem so hard. I mean there are 3D printers now--I never thought that would happen. And there's lots of current science that is trying to replicate food--which we will need eventually if human beings are going to advance and explore space.

I also think that things like Star Trek set up an expectation in society and people work to make those things come into being. So we first need to imagine and then what we imagine becomes reality. But we should be careful what we imagine--we could end up in Westworld.

The one thing that I can't buy is transporters. I mean, I believe you can make one. It's the ultimate 3D printer--but I think the transporters on Star Trek kill the person and then remake him at another point in space. How many people would be willing to let themselves be murdered in order to hop across a gap in space? It seems a lot safer just to use a shuttle craft.

[Gorthon616]

the prop master puts them inside.

but to tackle the question more seriously:

it's techno-magic. any possible explanation just high-lights how completely ridiculous and fantastic the concept is. and by "fantastic" I mean to say, "that's impossible, but it would be awfully handy!" it probably tastes like vending machine food. ;-)

Yes. I've never understood how people see Star Trek as some sort of intellectual thing.

[Captain Smith]

Since the transporters have made two of a person, they create life? One problem was that if you actually transmitted a person as energy (subatomic components) you get a hell of an E=MC**2 at the arrival point. Remind they held folks in the buffers for a bit (that's dead?). Hate to be stuck in a USB drive.

How does Superman fly, BTW?

[superduperman]

Since the transporters have made two of a person, they create life? One problem was that if you actually transmitted a person as energy (subatomic components) you get a hell of an E=MC**2 at the arrival point. Remind they held folks in the buffers for a bit (that's dead?). Hate to be stuck in a USB drive.

How does Superman fly, BTW?

Super propellant farts! The episode where they met that other Riker that was created in a transporter accident kind of suggests that the transporters are like a copy machine that can duplicate life. So which one is the "real" Riker? Or are either of them? And what about Multiple Man from the X-Men? Does he just know which one is the "real" one and which one is a duplicate? What if one of the duplicates doesn't want to rebond with him?