are hailed as the future of computing.

被譽為計算的未來。

But what about a quantum internet? What would that look like? And would it even be worth it?

但量子互聯網呢？那會是什麼樣子？又是否值得呢？

A quantum internet is actually in the works,

量子互聯網其實正在醞釀之中。

with the U.S. Department of Energy recently rolling out a blueprint describing research goals

與美國能源部最近推出了一個藍圖，描述了研究目標。

and engineering barriers on the way to it.

和工程上的障礙。

Although we've been working on it for about the last decade “quantum internet” is sort of hard to define.

雖然我們在過去的十年裡一直在努力，但 "量子互聯網 "有點難以定義。

There is no real clear meaning for it beyond “sending quantum signals back and forth,”

除了 "來回發送量子信號 "之外，並沒有真正明確的意義。

and there are a few ways to go about doing it.

並有一些方法可以去做。

Probably the method that is most in reach is by sending these quantum signals via photons

最有可能達到的方法就是通過光子發送這些量子信號了

over fiber optic cables.

通過光纜。

“But Julian,” you say, “we already send our classical internet signals through optical fibers."

"但朱利安，"你說，"我們已經通過光纖發送我們的經典互聯網信號。"

How is this any different?”

這有什麼不同？"

That's a great question, fellow curious mind!

這是一個很好的問題，好奇心強的同學!

The difference is these photons would have their polarization states manipulated

不同的是，這些光子的極化狀態會被操縱。

to turn them into what are known as a qubits.

以將它們變成所謂的qubits。

Instead of the pulses of photons representing a 1 or a 0,

而不是代表1或0的光子脈衝。

a single photon could represent a 1, a 0, or both simultaneously.

一個光子可以同時代表1、0或兩者。

This is thanks to a phenomenon called superposition.

這得益於一種叫做疊加的現象。

Sending information this way would be especially useful for security.

通過這種方式發送信息對安全特別有用。

It would be possible to use the qubits in the mathematical process of disguising data

在偽裝數據的數學過程中，將有可能使用qubits。

called encryption,

稱為加密。

and detect if an outside party had intercepted the qubits and was trying to crack the code.

並檢測是否有外部人員截獲了曲譜並試圖破解代碼。

Eavesdropping on a quantum channel would be very difficult indeed.

竊聽量子通道確實會非常困難。

It could be made even more difficult by leveraging another quantum phenomenon called entanglement.

利用另一種叫做糾纏的量子現象，可以讓它變得更加困難。

Two particles or quantum systems that are entangled after an interaction are linked.

兩個相互作用後糾纏在一起的粒子或量子系統是有聯繫的。

Knowing the state of one will tell you the state of the other.

知道一個人的狀態，就能知道另一個人的狀態。

And when one changes, the other changes too, and does so instantaneously.

當一個人改變時，另一個人也會改變，而且是瞬間改變。

This means communication would be possible across vast distances potentially faster than the speed of light.

這意味著通信將有可能跨越遙遠的距離，速度可能超過光速。

And because nothing is sent through a wire, the message cannot be intercepted.

而且因為沒有任何東西是通過電線發送的，所以無法截獲資訊。

But there is the issue of getting the entangled particles where they need to be in the first place.

但有一個問題，就是如何把糾纏粒子首先送到它們需要的地方。

Once they interact, they still need to be separated.

一旦他們互動，還是需要分開。

The current means of doing this still involves sending a newly entangled photon

目前的手段仍然是將一個新糾纏的光子送到

down a fiber optic cable to its final destination.

沿著光纜到達最終目的地。

And that reliance on fiber optic cables to carry messages or establish an entangled network

而這種依靠光纜傳遞信息或建立糾纏網絡的方式

is one of the first technical challenges a quantum internet has to overcome.

是量子互聯網首先要克服的技術挑戰之一。

Photons travelling in fiber optics can get scattered or absorbed along the way.

光子在光纖中傳播會被沿途散射或吸收。

Or they could reach their destination and fail to register with the detector.

或者他們可能到達目的地，卻沒有向探測器登記。

Using entanglement would eliminate most of those issues,

使用糾纏可以消除大部分的問題。

but right now the photons that are generated during entangling

但現在，在糾纏過程中產生的光子。

happen to be at wavelengths that degrade quickly in optical fibers.

恰好是在光纖中快速降解的波長。

Fortunately, scientists have found they can be converted using lasers to more suitable wavelengths,

幸運的是，科學家們發現它們可以利用脈衝光將其轉換為更合適的波長。

and using this technique scientists have successfully set up entangled nodes 50 km apart.

並利用這一技術，科學家們成功建立了相距50公里的糾纏節點。

The Department of Energy's latest blueprint for a Quantum Internet in the U.S. has four key milestones:

美國能源部最新描繪的量子互聯網藍圖有四個關鍵的里程碑。

first to make sure quantum information sent over current fiber optic cables is secure.

首先要確保目前光纜上發送的量子資訊是安全的。

Then to establish entangled networks across colleges or cities,

然後建立跨學院或城市的糾纏網絡。

then throughout states, and finally for the whole country.

然後是各州，最後是全國。

In February of 2020, the Department of Energy announced they had sent two entangled photons

2020年2月，能源部宣佈，他們已經將兩個糾纏的光子。

over two separate 42 kilometer fiber optic loops

在兩個獨立的42公里長的光纖環路上。

and had verified they were still correlated when they returned.

並在他們回來的時候，已經核實了他們仍然是相關的。

They hailed it as a milestone on the way to developing a national quantum internet.

他們稱讚這是發展國家量子互聯網道路上的一個里程碑。

It's still a long way off though. The Department of Energy estimates a prototype sometime in the next decade.

不過這還很遙遠。能源部估計，原型機將在未來十年的某個時候出現。

Even when it's all set up, don't expect to plug into the quantum 'net.

即使是全部設置好了，也別指望能插上量子'網'。

Unless whatever information you're sending needs to be ultra secure,

除非你發送的任何資訊都需要超級安全。

you're probably just going to keep streaming your cat videos

你可能只是要保持 流媒體你的貓視頻

using the flashing lights in glass fibers like you do now.

像你現在這樣在玻璃纖維中使用閃光燈。

To learn how and why we would want an ultra-fast satellite internet,

要了解如何以及為什麼我們會想要一個超高速的衛星互聯網。

and why astronomers dread it,

以及為什麼天文學家害怕它。

check out my video on the possible future of the Internet here.

在這裡查看我關於互聯網可能的未來的視頻。

So, are you excited for quantum internet?

那麼，你是否對量子互聯網感到興奮呢？

Let us know in the comments below and make sure you subscribe.

請在下面的評論中告訴我們，並請您務必訂閱。

Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.

謝謝你的觀看，我們下次再見。