Are Advanced Civilizations Using Quantum Communications to Hide from Us?
Establishing communication with alien intelligence is a highly anticipated breakthrough. Since the search for advanced civilizations began, numerous methods have been employed to detect their transmissions, but so far, without success. A new paper suggests that quantum communication may be the ideal method for interstellar communication. However, detecting these signals would require a receiver over 100 km across, which we currently lack the technology to build.
The search for alien signals, known as the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), began in 1960 when Frank Drake conducted the first search. Though it was not fruitful, large radio telescopes have since been used in various projects. One notable effort is Project Breakthrough, which employs advanced technology and international collaborations but has yet to achieve success.
Understanding the nature of communication is crucial for effectively searching for alien signals. This quest began in 1948 with the development of the modern theory of classical communication. By 1959, it was proposed that human technology could send or receive interstellar classical communication, which simply requires a message, a sender, and a receiver.
Communication theories have since evolved, and quantum information theory has emerged. This field explores how quantum mechanics affects the storage and transmission of information. At its core is the quantum bit or qubit, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously due to superposition. Unlike classical bits, which are either 0 or 1, qubits can be in any combination of states until measured, at which point the wave function collapses to a definite state.
Another key element of quantum theory is entanglement, where two or more particles are interconnected so that the state of one is related to the state of the other, regardless of distance. This allows data processing to be faster and more secure than in classical models. Latham Boyle from the University of Edinburgh suggests that quantum communications could enable interstellar information transfer. A previous study by Arjun Berera proposed that photon qubits could transmit information over interstellar and even intergalactic distances without loss of coherence.
Quantum coherence describes the ability to maintain a specific quantum state, but communication also requires a channel with sufficient capacity and specific wavelengths (avoiding those under 26.5 cm to prevent interference from the cosmic microwave background). Achieving this would necessitate radio telescopes with a diameter of 100 km. Since we currently lack the capability to build such instruments, this may explain why we haven’t yet detected any alien signals. It seems we may have to wait until we can build these instruments before we can communicate with extraterrestrial civilizations.
Source: Are Advanced Civilizations Using Quantum Communications to Hide from Us?
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