Chinese Scientist Achieves Data Transmission 62 Miles Away Using Quantum Communication This technology could guarantee the exchange of data in a 100% secure way, without the risk of being intercepted by hackers.
By Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki Edited by Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki
This article was translated from our Spanish edition.
It is called quantum communication and according to the MIT Review Technology publication, the transfer of data in this state promises to reduce hacking to the maximum: "Quantum communication takes advantage of the laws of quantum physics to protect data. These laws allow particles, usually photons of light that transmit data through optical cables, to have a superposition state in which they can simultaneously assume a state of zero and one, a phenomenon known as quantum superposition. These particles are known as quantum bits, or qubits."
Today the data of our communications is encrypted to be sent later through fiber optics together with the necessary keys to decrypt them. Trained hackers can intercept these communications and decrypt them without even leaving a trace. That is why for decades governments and companies have worked on the development of quantum communication that could guarantee the exchange of information in a more secure way.
The Chinese scientist, Long Guilu , who has spent more than two decades dedicated to the development of direct quantum communication technology, announced that he has successfully achieved data transmission over 100 kilometers away, setting a new record; the previous record was 18.5 kilometers. Although for now the data transmission is slow (0.54 bits per second), the results are encouraging. Guilu, a professor of physics at Tsinghua University, says that his technology is ready to be integrated with current encryption techniques and that it could mean a revolution in the way information is shared.
The test results were published in detail by Nature.com and in a statement Guilu commented: "If we replace the parts of the Internet where the most eavesdropping attacks occur with quantum channels today, they will have the additional ability to detect and prevent eavesdropping, making communications even more secure.
