Communication · around 2040

Continental quantum networks

Projection

Entangled photons link cities, enabling eavesdrop-proof keys and networked quantum computers.

Quantum repeaters and memories would carry entanglement across long distances. Beyond secure communication, networked quantum sensors and processors could pool their power.

Why it’s plausible: Metropolitan quantum links and satellite entanglement distribution have been demonstrated; continental scale depends on practical quantum memories and repeaters.

See it in the living tree Wikipedia

Arcs above join it to what it stood on, arcs below to what it led to. The bar places this stretch on the tree's whole timeline.

What it built on 6

Trapped-ion quantum gate 1995
Quantum error correction 1995
Bell tests of entanglement 1982
TCP/IP 1974
Low-loss optical fiber 1970
Laser 1960

Related measurements

Selected gate-model quantum processors Latest: 1.12k physical qubits (2023) Source: Wikipedia: Timeline of quantum computing and communication; Wikipedia: List of quantum processors