Giorgia Burzachechi A team of Chinese scientists has teleported photon information from Earth to a satellite orbiting 500 kilometers away, paving the way for the use of telecommunications and quantum computing on a global scale.
@freepik
A team of Chinese scientists has achieved a groundbreaking feat in teleportation, setting a new distance record. A photon, a particle of light, was successfully teleported from Earth to a satellite orbiting nearly 310 miles away. Although this historic achievement was announced in 2017, it is now paving the way for new possibilities in global telecommunications and quantum computing.
No, we cannot teleport objects or people from one place to another, but the scientific implications of this discovery are vast. With the help of the Chinese satellite Micius, launched in 2016, it became possible to demonstrate quantum entanglement over great distances. Entanglement, also known as “quantum entanglement,” is the phenomenon where two particles become interconnected. If these two particles are separated and one undergoes a change, that change will instantly affect the second particle.
Using Micius, the experiment demonstrated the feasibility and efficiency of quantum entanglement over extended distances. This breakthrough not only pushes the boundaries of quantum mechanics but also illuminates the development of quantum information science.
The Micius experiment
Scientists on Earth created pairs of “entangled” photons, meaning they were interconnected. One photon from each pair was sent to the Micius satellite, while the other remained on Earth. The researchers measured the state of the photon left on Earth, and due to entanglement, this measurement instantly influenced the state of the photon on the satellite. By measuring both photons, the Chinese team confirmed that the entanglement remained intact despite the vast distance. This means that the information about the state of the photon on Earth was “teleported” to the photon on the satellite. To ensure that this communication was free from interference, the ground station was set up in Ngari, Tibet, at an altitude of over 13,000 feet above sea level.
This experiment opens new possibilities for creating a global quantum internet capable of meeting the high demands of secure communication and computing power. The consequences of these scientific discoveries are unpredictable. Even the practical application of this revelation could lead to the use of quantum networks, quantum computing, and encryption systems that will offer ultra-secure systems. The resulting advances will surpass the limits of current theoretical predictions and lead to even more revolutionary discoveries.
Moreover, this success has sparked a race toward quantum supremacy, pushing researchers from other countries to invest more in their research. What comes next remains to be discovered.
