Yes, quantum teleportation is no longer sci-fi, it’s been proven and peer revewied. Researchers at Northwestern University successfully demonstrated quantum teleportation over 30 kilometres of standard internet fibre.
This is huge.
It’s the first time anyone has done quantum teleportation using the kind of internet infrastructure that already exists in the real world.
Quantum teleportation is real
The experiment wasn’t done in a sterile lab and it didn’t rely on custom setups. It took place over public networks. This means we are one step closer to a functional quantum internet.
For the record, this does not mean we can transport humans to Mars or across space now. At least not any time soon.
This isn’t Star Trek. There’s no shimmering transporter beam. No dramatic musical cue. No “Energise!” or “beam me up, Scotty!”
But what scientists have just done is still absolutely wild.
What even is quantum teleportation?
Glad you asked.
Quantum teleportation doesn’t mean sending objects or people from point A to point B. It means sending information. More specifically, the quantum state of a particle.
Scientists did this using a phenomenon called entanglement. It’s when two particles become so deeply linked that a change to one affects the other, instantly, no matter how far apart they are.
Einstein called this “spooky action at a distance,” which is a pretty accurate summary.
In a 1947 letter to physicist Max Born, Einstein used the German phrase “spukhafte Fernwirkung” (which translates to “ghostly action at a distance”). It has, over the years, been mistranslated to “spooky”.
So, in August 2024, scientists used entangled photons to transfer the state of one particle to another particle 30 kilometres away.
They published their findings in Optica, a peer-reviewed journal, in December.
And while classical information (like an email) still had to be sent alongside the quantum data, the key breakthrough was making the whole thing work on existing fibre-optic cables.
Why quantum teleportation is a big deal
We’re not teleporting humans (just yet), but we are moving closer to quantum networks: a future where data is teleported in ways that are immune to hacking, tampering, or interception.
Think:
- Ultra-secure banking.
- Unhackable government networks.
- Medical data that can’t be sniffed by third parties.
And in the long run, more advanced systems that could enable quantum computing to scale safely.
Previously, experiments like this needed custom, controlled setups. This one used real-world conditions. And that’s what makes it groundbreaking.
TL;DR
No, your body isn’t getting beamed anywhere. But your data? That’s another story.
It means copying the state of a particle and recreating it elsewhere, instantly, thanks to quantum entanglement.
In short: now it’s possible to send that kind of data across normal internet cables.
We’re still a long way from teleporters like in Star Trek, but we’re getting closer to a quantum-powered internet which is faster, more secure, and maybe just a little mind-bending.
