UMD Scientists Make Teleporting History...Or Future

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WUSA) -- A local research group at the University of Maryland is making a breakthrough in teleportation.

It's not quite as flashy as "Beam me up Scotty," but it's a major step towards improving secure communications in the future. To understand what the scientists did, you have to first understand the basic principles of quantum mechanics.

"The fundamental law of quantum physics is that a quantum object can be in two states at the same time. In fact, it can be in two places at the same time," said Professor Christopher Monroe, the author of the study which was recently published in the journal Science. "But it only works when you're not looking at it. When nothing is looking at it. When it's shielded fromt the environment."

Researchers separated two atoms in a protected tunnel with no air, no outside influences. They then used microwave signals to send one of the atoms its principles. After ten minutes and a billion tries, they were able to send that information from one atom to the other atom without the atoms actually moving. They were distanced about a meter away.

"It was the first teleportation between distance matered cubics," said Steven Olmschenk, one of the students working on the case.. "So it would its a significant step for communication purposes and computation purposes."

The long term goal of their research would allow people to share information with a 100% guarantee the communication is secure. Eventually, scientists hope to build a quantum computer which would allow computers to break codes. A normal computer could take years to decode one encrypted message, whereas a quantum computer could complete the same process in a day.

There are two misunderstandings people have about teleportation, however. Monroe said it's not instantaneous and we may never be able to teleport human beings.

"They're just too big," he said. So much for Mr. Spock.