NEW YORK – When the word teleportation comes to mind, we always think of what science movies and fiction have fed us: travelling at high speed in a few seconds to the next location. However, scientists claim they have made it a reality between two quantum supercomputers.
Researchers accomplished what has long been regarded as one of the holy grails of quantum physics by successfully teleporting quantum information over a network in what is being hailed as a “world first”. To make it clear, this is not the typical teleportation that occurs in science fiction movies and television shows like Star Trek where matter disappears and then resurfaces in another place.
The science of the impossible: The true technological significance of quantum teleportation
As explained by Science Alert, a peculiarity of physics, teleportation only makes sense when viewed through a quantum lens, in which things exist in a blur of potential attributes until measurement procedures compel them to take on each state. Additionally, the foundation and root of quantum teleportation is the concept of entanglement, meaning that two particles are so close to each other despite the distance between them.
Because of their closeness and distance at the same time, the state of one influences the other instantly. One of the world’s greatest physicists, Albert Einstein, calls this “spooky action at a distance”, spooky meaning ghost, because you cannot see it but can feel and witness its effects. In the most recent experiment, scientists employed entanglement to “teleport” the state of a single qubit—the quantum equivalent of a bit—from one quantum processor to another.
When explained, it sounds like an easy experiment, but it is not an easy task. We all know that information is transferred by what we call electrons or photons and physical travel together through wires or fibre in classical computers. However, in this case, entanglement is the main component utilised to reconstruct information on the other end. It is a leap for mankind.
Future supercomputers might only require quantum entanglement instead of cables
The normal, also known as classical, computers are still dominating; however, with this new development and discovery, quantum communication can transform what we already know through this: Massive data will be transferred quickly without any delays across machines worldwide, meaning this is not based locally or regionally if qubits could be teleported between supercomputers.
A team of scientists from Oxford University employed ion trap technology, which involves manipulating ions with lasers while they are suspended in electromagnetic fields. Additionally, the teleportation process to work out will also depend on the level of control that the entanglement has over the states of the ions. This has taken years of studying and research for experts to be able to articulate the teleportation process in this context.
The greatest thing about this theory and experiment is not only about technology and the technical side of it, but also just how scientific vision has been able to create such a magnificent development for information sharing and processing. This shows that humanity is getting closer to breaking the ice after decades of dreaming and researching a working quantum global internet. Governments, or even medical facilities, can use this great encrypted quantum data.
Humanity just took its first step towards quantum networks: From fiction to reality
Philosophy and science are both elements that make up the quantum teleportation process. It makes us look at technology, communication, science, researchers, and information in a different way. Say goodbye to tangible materials such as cables, wires, and letters to transmit information; it is about to break the barriers globally. Regulations and rules have changed because of this new experiment.
According to Science Alert, options for reorganising a quantum network could expand the technology’s uses by transforming computer networks into instruments capable of measuring and testing physics at its most basic level.
This story was published in Ecoportal
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