Chicago expands and activates quantum network, taking steps toward a secure quantum internet

“The Chicago quantum network presents researchers with unprecedented opportunities to transmit quantum information in a real-world environment and push the boundaries of what is currently possible with quantum security protocols,” said David Awschalom, the Liew Family Professor in Molecular Engineering and Physics at the University of Chicago, director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange, and director of Q-NEXT, a Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Center at Argonne. “This extension enables scientists from academia, industry, and government labs to collaborate on advancing our fundamental understanding of quantum communication and develop a secure quantum internet.”

“While this network is impressive in its scope, it is even more important as a testbed of experimentation into how quantum networks can be used. We look forward to working with CQE to explore the development of quantum network architectures that connect quantum sensors and computers together in new, exciting and useful ways,” said Jay Lowell, chief scientist for Boeing’s Disruptive Computing and Networks team

The rise of quantum computers represents both an enormous opportunity and a fundamental threat. Once operational, they are expected to be able to solve the kinds of problems that are nearly impossible for ordinary computers and thus easily break current encryption. In April, lawmakers in Congress introduced the Quantum Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, which prioritizes timely quantum-proof encrypting of sensitive information so that bad actors cannot steal the data now and decrypt it when stronger quantum computers become reality.


Scientists believe that quantum networks can draw upon the laws of quantum mechanics to be made virtually “unhackable.” Experts around the world have agreed that the implementation of quantum-secure communication networks is one of the most important technological frontiers of the 21st century.

Hack-proof encrypting can be done using quantum key distribution, which is the quantum security technology that was activated on the Chicago area quantum network on June 6, 2022, in a collaboration with Toshiba. Key distribution is a routine part of most internet security, but quantum technology can make it virtually impervious to hacking. In quantum key distribution, secret digital keys are distributed using quantum security protocols among parties communicating sensitive data. The quantum keys are sent through a network of optical fiber via particles of light, called photons, using the photons’ quantum properties to encode the bits that make up the keys. Any attempt to intercept the photons destroys the information they hold.

This kind of unhackable communication has applications anywhere secure communication is particularly vital, including industries such as finance, defense, voting and others.

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the Chicago Quantum Exchange as trials begin on the network,” said Yasushi Kawakura, vice president of digital solutions at Toshiba. “It’s paramount that we develop quantum-proof technology to proactively defend against threats from the quantum future.”

—This story was first published by the Chicago Quantum Exchange.

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Fears Grow Over Iran’s Nuclear Program as Tehran Digs a New Tunnel Network

The deal, which President Donald J. Trump abandoned in 2018, limited Tehran’s ability to install new centrifuges and forced it to ship 97 percent of its nuclear fuel out of the country. Mr. Biden’s refusal of Iran’s demand to remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps from the list of terrorist organizations, along with a flow of new revenue to Tehran resulting from today’s soaring oil prices, have contributed to the stalemate in the talks.

Now, the Iranians are looking for new pressure points, including the excavation of the mountain plant near Natanz. And over the past week, Iranian authorities have switched off 27 cameras that gave inspectors a view into Iran’s production of fuel.

The decision to cut off the cameras, which were installed as part of the nuclear deal, was particularly worrisome to Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations agency responsible for nuclear inspections. If the cameras remain off for weeks, and it is impossible to track the whereabouts of nuclear materials, “I think this would be a fatal blow” to hopes of reviving the accord, Mr. Grossi said last week.

But this is far more than an inspection dispute. In the eyes of experts, Tehran is getting to the point of becoming what Robert Litwak, who has written extensively on the Iranian program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, called a “nuclear threshold state whose uranium enrichment program creates an inherent option — a hedge — to produce nuclear weapons,” without actually taking the last step.

“Iran’s move at Natanz,” he said of the plant now under construction, “amps up pressure on the United States to reach a new deal by highlighting the risk of a nuclear breakout should diplomacy fail.”

For decades, a barren piece of land near Natanz has been the centerpiece of Iran’s nuclear effort. The country has always maintained that its underground “pilot plant” there is working only to produce nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes — the production of nuclear energy. The evidence, some of it stolen by Israel from a warehouse in Tehran, suggests otherwise: that Iran has had plans in place for two decades to construct a bomb, if it concludes that it was in its interest.

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Ukrtelecom restores operation of landline phone network in over 1,200 settlements

Ukrtelecom has successfully restored operations of its landline phone network in more than 1,200 settlements and resumed communication services to more than 350,000 households, having ensured coverage across 87% of the national network.

Yuriy Kurmaz, CEO of Ukrtelecom JSC, spoke of this in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to Kurmaz, Ukrtelecom’s critical infrastructure is now stable.

“A new network structure with largely duplicated key trunk lines and network core equipment has been built to support emergency communications services. This type of structure is not typical for a civilian operator in peacetime, but now we have to maintain it to ensure stable communication, “Kurmaz said.

Read also: Kherson major: No Ukrainian signalno jobs in occupied city

He added that in critical situations at the onset of Russian invasion, Ukrtelecom was forced to limit access speeds for private subscribers in order to maintain continuity of services to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other special customers.

“It was necessary while we were rebuilding our network from a peaceful topology to a wartime topology, restoring channels and communications lost due to shelling or those captured by enemy forces. Now our key trunk lines have significant reserves, the volume of external channels is triple the number we had before full-scale aggression. So, now the services are being provided in full,” Kurmaz said.

Currently, due to the destruction of network elements and attempts by invaders to interfere in the operation of the company’s telecom infrastructure, services are not available in only two regions: Luhansk and Kherson.

Read also: TV screens installed all over Mariupol to spread Russian propaganda

According to Ukrtelecom CEO, in Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions, the network is being maintained at 55% and 20% of pre-war coverage, respectively.

Kurmaz says every week, the company connects almost 1,600 new customers to the optical network, with Chernihiv region being in the lead in this regard.

As reported, more than 3,000 mobile operators’ base stations in Ukraine have been completely or partially shut down, while more than 20% of the telecom infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed as a result of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.

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NFL Network predicts outcome of every game in 2022

Not too long ago, we attempted to predict how the Cincinnati Bengals’ season would unfold by projecting wins and losses over the entire season’s schedule.

Others are doing the same, with NFL Network’s Adam Rank going all-in by predicting schedule outcomes for each of the 32 teams in the league.

In the past, Rank has come under fire by Bengals fans for these projections, so it should be pretty interesting to see how he feels about the team after their trip to the Super Bowl.

Here’s a week-by-week look at how Rank projected the season to go for the Bengals, the final record and more.

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Rekindling the thrill of programming

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