Real-world intercontinental quantum communications enabled by the Micius satellite
Jan 2018, phys.org
Previously, the quantum communication distance has been limited to a few hundred kilometers due to optical channel losses of fibers or terrestrial free space. A promising solution to this problem exploits satellite and space-based links, which can conveniently connect two remote points on the Earth with greatly reduced channel loss, as most of the photons' propagation path is through empty space with negligible loss and decoherence. -phys.org
If you thought quantum mechanics itself was crazy, how about when we start using it to make an internet?
But wait, there's more:
Artificial agent designs quantum experiments
Jan 2018, phys.org
I'm just going to copy most of this article, because the entire thing is absolutely nuts:
On the way to an intelligent laboratory, physicists from Innsbruck and Vienna present an artificial agent that autonomously designs quantum experiments. In initial experiments, the system has independently (re)discovered experimental techniques that are standard in modern quantum optical laboratories. This shows how machines could play a more creative role in research in the future.
The researchers wondered to what extent machines can carry out research autonomously. They used a projective simulation model for artificial intelligence to enable a machine to learn and act creatively. This autonomous machine stores many individual fragments of experience in memory, which are networked together.
The machine builds up and adapts its memories while learning from both successful and unsuccessful attempts. The scientists from Innsbruck teamed up with the group of Anton Zeilinger, who previously demonstrated the usefulness of automated procedures in the design of quantum experiments with a search algorithm called Melvin. Some of these computer-inspired experiments have already been performed in the lab of Zeilinger. Together, the physicists determined that quantum experiments are an ideal environment to test the applicability of AI to research. Therefore, they used the projective simulation model to investigate the potential of artificial learning agents in this test bed. They have published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
