On August 16, China said it had launched a quantum satellite into space that could be the future of wireless communication and set new standards in Internet security. “The project tests a technology that could one day offer digital communication that is hack-proof”. Called Micius, after the ancient Chinese scientist and philosopher, the 600-kg satellite will try to communicate with earth using the principle of quantum entanglement, whereby subatomic particles become inextricably linked or “entangled” in such a way that any change in one disturbs the other even if both are at opposite ends of the universe. This means any attempt at hacking entangled particles would, even in principle, be impossible.
