Quantum Experiments At Space Scale

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    China bounced an 'unhackable' quantum signal between cities

    by 
    Andrew Tarantola
    Andrew Tarantola
    06.15.2017

    The field of quantum cryptography, which seeks to transmit encrypted information using entangled quantum particles like photons, could help lay the groundwork for tomorrow's quantum networks but it faces a significant physical hurdle: entangled photons are crazy hard to transmit long distances. Even in fiber optic cables, they can only go about 150 miles before completely degrading. But a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences may have the solution. You just have to send the photons 745 miles into space.