China launches world’s longest super-secure quantum communication line

China has launched world’s longest super-secure quantum communication line connecting Hefei, capital of Anhui province to Shanghai, the country’s financial hub.
The super-secure quantum communication line is 712-km in length. It boasts of ultra-high security making it impossible to wiretap, intercept or crack the information transmitted through them.
Key Facts

• The 712-km line is part of a 2,000-km Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication.
• It has 11 stations and it took three years of construction. In one of its first test communication, it had transmitted a secure video conference between the two cities.
• The Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication line is expected to be completed at the end of the year 2016.
• It will be backbone highly secured communication network to be used in the fields of finance, electronics and government affairs.

World’s first quantum satellite
Earlier in August 2016, China had successfully launched the world’s first quantum satellite. It was nicknamed as Micius after a 5th century BC Chinese philosopher and scientist. The Micius quantum satellite will be connected with the Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication line through the line’s station in Beijing. It will enable the space-to-Earth highly secure hack-proof quantum communication network.
What is Quantum communication?

• Quantum communication uses subatomic particles to securely communicate between two points. These subatomic particles are mainly quantum entanglement of photons.
• It ensures that nobody taps into the line as a photon can be neither separated nor duplicated. Thus tapping the network will inevitably corrupt the signal.
• It has the ability to inform the two communicating users of the presence of any third party trying to eavesdrop. At the same time, the information being intercepted will self-destruct.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2016