Researchers have used drones to send out entangled photons, even when they are far apart. This means that their quantum states are linked: The measurement of the state of one affects the state of the other. This is weird shit – so weird that Einstein calls it ‘ghostly action at a distance’. Scientists have investigated whether this strange phenomenon could be the basis of a quantum-wide internet that exploits the power of entanglement as a communication technology. Now, researchers from Nanjing University in China have used drones and base stations to spread entangled particles wirelessly over a kilometer. From science:
Ultimately, scientists aim to build a global quantum internet that relies on the transfer of quantum particles to enable ultra-secure communication by using the particles to create secret codes to encrypt messages. A quantum Internet can also allow remote quantum computers to work together, or perform experiments that test the limits of quantum physics.
“Distribution through optical revived entanglement using drones as mobile nodes” (Physical overview letters)
IMAGE: XIAO-HUI TIAN, HUA-YING LIU AND ZHENDA XIE