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| A breakthrough in testing Einstein’s ‘spooky action at a distance’ could pave the way for ultra-secure quantum communication. Scientists have been investigating how pairs of photons can be used to form a link across great distances, in quantum entanglement. Artist's impression |
- Study demonstrated how quantum teleportation could be used to test links
- Were able to test photon pairs even in conditions that mimicked the real world
- Test reveals if particle has made it through or not, to reveal failures at the get go
WHAT IS QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT?
In quantum physics, entangled particles remain connected so that actions performed by one affects the behaviour of the other, even if they are separated by huge distances.
This means if you measure, 'up' for the spin of one photon from an entangled pair, the spin of the other, measured an instant later, will be 'down' - even if the two are on opposite sides of the world.
Entanglement takes place when a part of particles interact physically. For instance, a laser beam fired through a certain type of crystal can cause individual light particles to be split into pairs of entangled photons.
The theory that so riled Einstein is also referred to as 'spooky action at a distance'. Einstein wasn't happy with theory, because it suggested that information could travel faster than light.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5240641/Scientists-develop-new-quantum-teleportation-test.html#ixzz53PiXZFxZ