????美國洛斯阿拉莫斯國家實驗室（Los Alamos National Labs）的科學家稱，他們這兩年來一直在默默運營一種量子因特網。

????何為量子因特網？這是一種采用量子力學規律以確保在線交流絕對安全的網絡。因為測定一個量子物體這一行為必然會改變該物體，所以任何窺探量子消息的嘗試都會留下篡改的跡象，潛在的接收者就會因此而察覺。量子互聯網有望使用戶在一個絕對安全的網絡上發送消息。（相比之下，SnapChat等互聯網短信簡直如同兒戲。）

????這個理念令安全專家深深著迷，但其中也存在棘手的技術難題。例如，信息只能在點對點之間發送，而不能作為有規律的因特網數據被路由。決定某次通訊的目的地會改變它的狀態，實際上相當于對它重新標記。

????如今，來自位于美國新墨西哥州的洛斯阿拉莫斯國家實驗室的一個小組透露，已經成功繞開了其中一些限制。《麻省理工學院技術評論》稱：

????理查德?休斯及其在新墨西哥州洛斯阿拉莫斯國家實驗室（Los Alamos National Labs）的同事展示了一種替代性的量子因特網，并聲稱他們運行這個網絡已經長達兩年半的時間。他們的做法是創建一個基于中心輻射型網絡的量子網絡。從該網絡中任何一點路由至另一點的所有消息都通過該中央樞紐中轉。這種方法以前不是沒嘗試過。它的理念是，發送至中央樞紐的消息依靠正常水平的量子安全措施。然而，到達中央樞紐后，它們就被轉換成傳統的二進制數字，然后再恢復成量子信息，以開始其下一半旅程。

????這一創新何時能得到廣泛應用目前尚不可知。恐怕短期內希望不大。如需了解更多信息，請點擊閱讀這篇披露該公告的博客文章。 （財富中文網）

????譯者：項航

????Scientists at Los Alamos National Labs say they have been quietly operating a quantum internet for the past two years.

????What is a quantum internet? It is a network that employs the laws of quantum mechanics to make perfectly secure online communication possible. Because the act of measuring a quantum object necessarily changes it, any attempt to snoop on a quantum message leaves indications of tampering a would-be receiver can detect. A quantum internet would potentially allow users to send messages over a network which could then be used for absolutely secure communication. (Making SnapChat look like child's play by comparison.)

????The concept has fascinated security experts, but there are thorny technical problems. For example, messages can only be sent between locations, not routed as regular Internet traffic. Deciding where a communication is headed changes its state, effectively marking it.

????Now, a team from Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico has revealed that it has managed to work around some of these limitations. As the MIT Technology Review puts it:

????Richard Hughes and pals at Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico reveal an alternative quantum internet, which they say they've been running for two and a half years. Their approach is to create a quantum network based around a hub and spoke-type network. All messages get routed from any point in the network to another via this central hub. This is not the first time this kind of approach has been tried. The idea is that messages to the hub rely on the usual level of quantum security. However, once at the hub, they are converted to conventional classical bits and then reconverted into quantum bits to be sent on the second leg of their journey.

????When this innovation will be in wide use is anybody's guess. It likely won't be anytime soon. For more, check out this blog post revealing the announcement.