Quantum Teleportation Sends Information 143 Kilometers

SchrodingerZ writes "Scientists from around the world have collaborated to achieve quantum teleportation over 143 kilometers in free space. Quantum information was sent between the Canary Islands of La Palma and Tenerife. Quantum teleportation is not how it is made out in Star Trek, though. Instead of sending an object (in this case a photon) from one location to another; the information of its quantum state is sent, making a photon on the other end look identical to the original. 'Teleportation across 143 kilometres is a crucial milestone in this research, since that is roughly the minimum distance between the ground and orbiting satellites.' It is the hope of the research team that this experiment will lead to commercial use of quantum teleportation to interact with satellites and ground stations. This will increase the efficiency of satellite communication and help with the expansion of quantum internet usage. The full paper on the experiment can be found [note: abstract only, full article paywalled] in the journal Nature."

Comments

Re:Why the Canaries of all places?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's to provide early warning in the event of a quantum accident - you know something went wrong when the Canaries are both alive and dead.

Re:If I recall.....

[ciderbrew]

Got a wiki page. It may well be the worst layman's explanation ever :) they got "no-communication" of that theorem just right.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-communication_theorem

Re:If I recall.....

[binarylarry]

It doesn't, that's why you need Scotty to build you a quantum singularity, which allows you to engage the warp nacelles and initiate FTL by sling shotting the message around venus.

Seriously, read a book or something.