According to New Scientist, researchers led by Xianfeng Chen at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have built one of the most advanced quantum networks to date, connecting 18 users through quantum entanglement. The team created two separate 10-node quantum networks and then sacrificed one node from each to fuse them into a single 18-node network where every pair can communicate securely. This networking breakthrough uses a process called entanglement swapping that links photons through Bell measurements. While the researchers claim this offers a “crucial capability” for building a large-scale quantum internet, other experts remain skeptical about its practical implementation.
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<h2 id="quantum-networking-reality-check”>The quantum networking reality check
Here’s the thing about quantum networking: it’s incredibly difficult. We’re not just talking about running cables and plugging in routers. Quantum entanglement is this fragile state that collapses if you look at it wrong – literally. When researchers try to measure quantum particles to transmit information, they destroy the very quantum state they’re trying to preserve.
What makes this research interesting is the scale. Connecting 18 quantum devices isn’t just about adding more ports to a switch. Each connection requires perfect timing and coordination that pushes current technology to its limits. Siddarth Joshi at University of Bristol puts it in perspective: quantum communication research has been split between long-distance connections (think satellite links) and reliable short-distance networking. This work falls squarely in the latter camp.
The elephant in the quantum room
But let’s talk about the real problem: quantum repeaters. Robert Young at Lancaster University doesn’t mince words when he says this approach is “so far from practical” for real-world implementation. The issue? Photons get lost over distance in fiber optic cables, and you can’t just amplify quantum signals like you can with classical internet.
Think about it this way: with regular internet, we have repeaters that read and retransmit signals to boost them over long distances. With quantum information, you can’t do that – measurement destroys the quantum state. So until someone figures out how to build practical quantum repeaters, we’re basically building fancy local networks that can’t scale globally.
Where this actually fits in the quantum roadmap
So what’s the real significance here? The published research demonstrates network fusion in a way that’s more convenient than previous methods. It’s like proving you can connect two separate quantum neighborhoods into one larger community. That’s valuable for understanding how future quantum networks might be structured.
But is this the prototype for the quantum internet? Probably not in its current form. The cost and complexity make it more of a laboratory demonstration than something that could be deployed widely. Still, every step forward in quantum networking teaches us something about the challenges we’ll need to overcome. The quantum internet is coming – it’s just going to look different than what we’re building in labs today.
