The Internet has made life and communication easy for us, and is unarguably the greatest invention of the 20th century. However, the Internet is flawed and prone to different forms of attacks, and the US might have just the answer to it.
The US is developing a more secure national quantum Internet which it says will be ready in 10 years time. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has laid out a blueprint for this "virtually unhackable" Internet which is based on quantum information science.
With this technology, the DOE will be able to relay information more securely than those on existing networks.
"One of the hallmarks of quantum transmission is that they are exceedingly difficult to eavesdrop on as information passes between locations. Scientists plan to use that trait to make virtually unhackable networks," the US Energy Department website read.
The agency said that industries such as banking and health could be the early adopters of the quantum Internet, and could as well be used for various applications in national security and aircraft communications. This, the agency explained could have broad impacts on the lives of individuals around the world.
Back in February this year, the agency with the help of university and industry researchers was able to setup a 53 mile (83 km) 'quantum loop" in the Chicago suburbs, making it one of the longest land-based quantum in the US.
"Finally, creating networks of ultra-sensitive quantum sensors could allow engineers to better monitor and predict earthquakes- a longtime and elusive goal- or to search for underground deposits of oil, gas, or minerals. Such sensors could also have applications in health care and imaging," the website added.
Nothing is impossible
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