--- title: "Oxford Scientists Say They’ve Achieved Quantum Teleportation" description: "Researchers at the University of Oxford say they've achieved quantum teleportation using a powerful quantum supercomputer." date: "2025-02-10" modified: "2025-02-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/oxford-scientists-quantum-teleportation-supercomputers" categories: - "Physics" - "Quantum Physics" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "Photons" - "quantum computers" - "quantum entanglement" - "supercomputers" --- # Oxford Scientists Say They’ve Achieved Quantum Teleportation ![Researchers at the University of Oxford say they've achieved quantum teleportation using a powerful quantum supercomputer.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* Researchers at the University of Oxford say they've achieved quantum teleportation — stitching together separate quantum computers to run an algorithm collaboratively, across a distance, in a "breakthrough" they say could lead to powerful quantum supercomputers. The scientists linked two quantum processors that were six and a half feet apart using a "photonic network interface," as detailed in a [paper]() published last week in the journal *Nature*. The team, led by Oxford University Physics graduate student Dougal Main, hopes the achievement will lay the groundwork for a "quantum internet" of distributed ultra-secure processors. It's not technically the first time scientists have demonstrated quantum teleportation. Previous research [has shown]() that the states of quantum bits known as qubits — the equivalent of a conventional computer's bits, except they can be superimposed and [entangled]() — can be transferred across physically separated systems. "In our study, we use quantum teleportation to *create* interactions between these distant systems," said Main in a [statement](). "By carefully tailoring these interactions, we can perform logical quantum gates — the fundamental operations of quantum computing — between qubits housed in separate quantum computers." "This breakthrough enables us to effectively 'wire together' distinct quantum processors into a single, fully connected quantum computer," he explained, essentially the equivalent of linking traditional computers to create a supercomputer. Main and his team are hopeful that by using light to transmit data instead of electrical signals, they can overcome engineering obstacles involved in creating large quantum computers. Broadly speaking, the more qubits a quantum computer has, the more difficult it is to keep them in a stable state and reduce external noise. "By interconnecting the modules using photonic links, the system gains valuable flexibility, allowing modules to be upgraded or swapped out without disrupting the entire architecture," Main explained. "Our experiment demonstrates that network-distributed quantum information processing is feasible with current technology," principal investigator and Oxford physics professor David Lucas added. But before quantum computers, let alone quantum supercomputers, can become a commonly used piece of equipment, researchers still have formidable hurdles to overcome. "Scaling up quantum computers remains a formidable technical challenge that will likely require new physics insights as well as intensive engineering effort over the coming years," Lucas explained. Beyond the technical limitations of building bigger quantum computers, scientists are [still struggling]() to turn them into actually useful tools that solve functional calculations. Nonetheless, researchers are hopeful that quantum computing systems could one day run calculations in just hours that today's supercomputers would take years to solve. **More on quantum mechanics:** *[Physicists Find That the Universe Could "Collapse Like a House of Cards"]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()