Engineers send quantum signals with standard Internet Protocol

Interesting. They send the classic IP packet just before the quantum data. So they could theoretically route it without disturbing the quantum data.

The experiment just used a point to point connection between two nodes, but using standard fibre optic cabling. You would need their Q chip in every place the data gets routed to actually use it in the wider world.

Still - cool proof of concept.

I'm a bit confused. What are they sending over the wire exactly? I thought the whole point of quantum communication is you use entanglement to instantly send from point A to point B, and there is no wire?

Entanglement doesn’t allow instant communication, you can’t beat the speed of light, and you still need a communication channel. Instead, entanglement is used to prevent undetected eavesdropping on the communication: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_network#Secure_communi...

Halas, entanglement cannot be used for "instantaneous communications whatever the distance". This is a common misconception.

Probably used freaking IPv4.

I assume they wanted messages to get there in under 50 years.

I <3 all of this.