00:00Scientists in Germany just managed to test a quantum network over the longest distance yet.
00:06They sense quantum signals over 254 kilometers through existing fiber cables,
00:12the same kind used for the internet, plugged into our homes.
00:16What is most striking about what we did is that we did it with very practical and scalable
00:22technology, meaning that potentially we could replicate these in the future many, many times,
00:28and showing that fundamentally these very advanced forms of communication
00:32are actually compatible with real-world operational environments.
00:37Why do we need a new communication system in the area of quantum computing?
00:41People have been building quantum computers and developing the processing technology for many years,
00:47and one of the challenges with quantum computers is even though they unlock a lot of improved
00:52performance for useful applications like drug discovery and optimization.
00:58One of the other things that you can use that power for is breaking conventional encryption,
01:03breaking the way that we conventionally secure data transfer.
01:06Previous attempts at quantum communication systems have only worked in short distances
01:12or in labs with expensive cooling equipment.
01:15This new approach works at room temperature, thanks to a light particle called photons,
01:20to send quantum signals so far away through conventional fibers,
01:25researchers reimagined the network architecture.
01:29Instead of allowing information to flow just in one direction,
01:33they set up a central node where signals from both users are combined.
01:37This approach effectively doubled the communication range,
01:40all while using the existing infrastructure.
01:43Researchers hoped that this breakthrough could enable quantum-secure communications for everyday uses,
01:49such as banking, healthcare, and government services in the new future.
01:55Actually, when this technology is deployed, people shouldn't notice.
02:00And it shouldn't change the way they use the internet.
02:03The only thing that would change is that their data
02:06would be protected in a vastly superior and stronger way.
02:11While this test is seen as a step forward for practical and large-scale quantum networks,
02:16the building of the quantum internet is still far off.
02:20Many countries are racing to build a nationwide quantum network right now.
02:25In Europe, for example, the European Commission aims to build an EU-wide quantum network by 2027.
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