The dream: Scotty beams us from our couch to Hong Kong -- or Pluto -- in a nanosecond.

The reality: Yes, teleporting is possible. Scientists have teleported photons and other particles in a lab. But the process involves breaking down the object in question, and then reassembling it someplace else. So teleporting a living thing doesn't seem like something that will happen anytime soon.

"We can't breakdown and reassemble living matter," said Global Futures' Canton.