Lifeboat Foundation

Quantum communications have rapidly progressed toward practical, large-scale networks based on quantum key distributions that spearhead the process. Quantum key distribution systems typically include a sender “Alice,” a receiver “Bob,” who generate a shared secret from quantum measurements for secure communication. Although fiber-based systems are well-suited for metropolitan scale, a suitable fiber infrastructure might not always be in place.

In a new report in npj Quantum Information, Andrej Kržič and a team of scientists developed an entanglement-based, free-space quantum network. The platform offered a practical and efficient alternative for metropolitan applications. The team introduced a free-space quantum key distribution system to demonstrate its use in realistic applications in anticipation of the work to establish free-space networks as a viable solution for metropolitan applications in the future global quantum internet.

Quantum communication typically aims to distribute quantum information between two or more parties. A series of revolutionary applications of quantum networks have provided a roadmap towards engineering a full-blown quantum internet. The proposed invention provides a heterogeneous network of special purpose sub-networks with diverse links and interconnects. The concept of quantum key distribution networks have driven this development to pave the way for other distributed quantum information processing methods to benchmark the technological maturity of quantum networks in general.

The positron, the antiparticle of the electron, has the same mass and charge as that of an electron but with the sign flipped for the charge. It is an attractive particle for scientists because the use of positrons has led to important insights and developments in the fields of elementary particle physics, atomic physics, materials science, astrophysics, and medicine.

For instance, positrons are known to be components of antimatter. They are also powerful in detecting lattice defects in solids and semiconductors and in structural analysis of the topmost surface of crystals.

Positronic compounds, namely bound states of positrons with regular atoms, molecules, or ions, represent an intriguing aspect of positron –matter interactions and have been studied experimentally via observation of positron annihilation in gases. It may be possible to generate new molecules and ions via the formation of positron compounds, but no research has ever been done from such a perspective.

🛑 A critical flaw (CVE-2023–22515) in Atlassian Confluence is being exploited by a nation-state actor, Storm-0062.

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The internet has never been less free, and AI is making it worse. But there are ways to make it safer and more open for everyone.

Did you know (RA) is a long-lasting autoimmune disease that affects joints? The immune system is meant to protect us, but with RA, it attacks healthy tissue. This can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of joint function.

Caring for yourself when living with RA includes knowing when to rest and when to exercise, occasionally wearing a splint, and managing stress levels.

Find more tips for coping with RA from NIAMS:

Continue reading “Rheumatoid Arthritis: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Steps to Take” »

A new study has suggested that our universe might be a highly advanced virtual reality world with humans playing ordinary characters.

Imagine that the human body is a… More.

How a Small Strand of RNA is Key to Fighting #Cancer.

Called let-7, the microRNA governs formation of the cellular memory pool and is a gift from the dawn of animal life. A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has shown that a single, small strand of microRNA, or miRNA, known as let-7, governs the ability of T-cells to recognize and remember tumor cells. This cellular memory is the basis for how vaccines work. Boosting cellular memory to recognize tumors could help improve cancer therapies. The research, published recently in Nature Communications, suggests a new strategy for the next generation of cancer-fighting immunotherapies.

Continue reading “How a Small Strand of RNA is Key to Fighting Cancer” »

Tech companies are investing billions in developing and deploying generative AI. That money needs to be recouped. Recent reports and analysis show that it’s not easy.

According to an anonymous source from the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft lost more than $20 per user per month on generative AI code Github Copilot in the first few months of the year. Some users reportedly cost as much as $80 per month. Microsoft charges $10 per user per month.

It loses money because the AI model that generates the code is expensive to run. Github Copilot is popular with developers and currently has about 1.5 million users who constantly trigger the model to write more code.

2023’s Nobel Prize was awarded for studying physics on tiny, attosecond-level timescales. Too bad that particle physics happens even faster.