Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Fluid_thinker on 10/07/2008 11:17:14
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This is a fascinating phenomena that has stopped and started many times
I know that in recent years that various experiments have been proven experimentally.
Has anyone started to think of any practical applications?
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Well quantum computing for one and perhaps even insant information transfer across the vastness of the universe.
Regards
Alan
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Instant information transfer is probably not going to happen--there is a tiny bit of disagreement among scientists, but the general consensus is that you need to send classical signals on top of entanglement in order to send information, and classical signals are limited by the speed of light.
Another application is in quantum cryptography. Since any observation changes quantum systems, you can use entanglement to help send an encryption key and to be able to detect if someone has listened in on what you sent.
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I agree cryptography is a natural progression based on the fact that it is impossible to retrospectively know the quantum state.
e.g. A * B does not equal B * A
Are there known faculties working on this?
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Fluid-thinker - welcome to TNS.
If by "faculties" you mean is it being researched at universties, then the answer is yes; Oslo, Calgary & Boston among them. Although I don't know for certain, I should be highly surprised if CalTech and MIT aren't having a little fiddle with it too.
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Do we need better cryptography?, there are already better ways to get secret information than by trying to crack codes with massive computers.
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It's not really better cryptography. It's a way of ensuring that someone can't tap your line and get your encryption key. Whether we need it or not is an argument that could be made, but that kind of security is beyond what can be provided by classical information transfer.