Scientists learn to teleport data

"Boom panes!"

Scientists based in The Netherlands claim to have successfully teleported data. It's not quite "Beam me up, Scotty!" but it's a definite milestone towards practical quantum computing. 

 

The team demonstrated an "unconditional teleportation" of quantum bits separated by a distance of three meters, Science Magazine reported.

 

"Realizing robust quantum information transfer between long-lived qubit registers is a key challenge for quantum information science and technology. Here, we demonstrate unconditional teleportation of arbitrary quantum states between diamond spin qubits separated by 3 m," they said in their abstract, as cited by Science Mag.

"These results establish diamond spin qubits as a prime candidate for the realization of quantum networks for quantum communication and network-based quantum computing," they added.

 

This ain't Star Trek

 

A separate article on The New York Times clarified that quantum teleportation is different from that seen on “Star Trek.”

 

In this case, it said it involves transferring quantum information, or the spin state of an electron, from one place to another "without moving the physical matter to which the information is attached."

 

The researchers said they are now looking at doing the experiment with a longer distance - about one kilometer.

 

"If they are able to repeatedly show that entanglement works at this distance, it will be a definitive demonstration of the entanglement phenomenon and quantum mechanical theory," the NYT said.

 

The Quantum Internet: Freaky fast!

 

Tech site Gizmodo said this new form of teleportation could lead to the development of a super-fast "quantum Internet".

 

"The feat in and of itself isn't such a big breakthrough. Quantum teleportation is not a new thing. In fact, scientists have been doing it for years and for distances of up to 100 kilometers. The 100 percent reliability part of it, though, is a big deal. This brings us one step closer to a real, bonafide quantum computer," it said.

 

"We won't be transporting our crew members onto the surfaces of far off planets, like in Star Trek. But at least the internet will be really freaking fast," it added. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News