Nature Podcast

Tiny satellite sets new record for secure quantum communication

Mar 19, 2025

Join Lizzie Gibney, a Nature reporter, as she dives into groundbreaking advancements in quantum communication. A tiny satellite has achieved record distances—sending secure messages over 12,000 km! Hear about the innovative laser-based system that encrypts information, including a photo of the Great Wall of China. Lizzie discusses the potential for a global network of quantum communications, emphasizing the balance between security and international collaboration. Discover how this technology could redefine privacy in our digital age!

31:05

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Lizzie Gibney

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Quick takeaways

The development of a lightweight microsatellite has drastically improved the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of secure quantum communication over long distances.

Future plans include launching additional satellites to enhance global connectivity and facilitate secure communications for various sectors like banking and military operations.

Deep dives

Affordable and Unlimited Connectivity

Boost Mobile introduces an enticing offer of unlimited talk, text, and data for a consistent price of $25 per month, available indefinitely for active users. This plan is designed to attract attention towards their new nationwide 5G network, making it a tempting choice for budget-conscious consumers. The offer emphasizes the permanence of the price, promising that even significant life changes will not affect the plan cost. However, after 30 gigabytes of usage, users may experience slower data speeds, which highlights the importance of mindful data consumption.

Intro

2min

Advancing Quantum Communication

8min

Innovative Discoveries in Climate Impact and Prosthetic Technology

3min

Innovating AI Feedback with TextGrad

8min

Impact of Budget Cuts on Scientific Research

10min

Engaging the Audience: Final Thoughts and Connections

2min

00:46 Microsatellite makes messaging secure

A tiny satellite has enabled quantum-encrypted information to be sent between China and South Africa, the farthest distance yet achieved for quantum communication. Using a laser-based system, a team in the city of Hefei was able to beam a ‘secret key’ encoded in quantum states of photons, to their colleagues over 12,000 km away. This key allowed scrambled messages to be decrypted — including one containing a picture of the Great Wall of China. The team’s system is drastically smaller and cheaper that previous attempts, and they think it represents a big step towards the creation of a global network of secure, quantum communication.

Research Article: Li et al.

News: Mini-satellite paves the way for quantum messaging anywhere on Earth

09:53 Research Highlights

How storms known as ‘atmospheric rivers’ could replenish Greenland’s ice, and a prosthetic hand that can distinguish objects by touch almost as well as a human.

Research Highlight: Mega-storm dumps 11 billion tonnes of snow ― and builds up a melting ice sheet

Research Highlight: Robotic fingers can tell objects apart by touch

12:27 An AI that gives other AIs helpful feedback

Researchers have created an AI system called TextGrad which can provide written feedback on another AI’s performance. This feedback is interpretable by humans, which could help researchers tweak the incredibly complicated, and sometimes inscrutable models that underpin modern AIs. “Previously optimising machine learning algorithms requires quite a lot of human engineering,” says James Zou, one of the team behind this work, “but with TextGrad, now the AI is able to self-improve to a large extent.”

Research Article: Yuksekgonul et al.

20:55 How the Trump administration’s cuts are affecting science

The first two months of Donald Trump’s presidency has seen swingeing cuts to US federal funding for research, particularly to research associated with DEI. We hear the latest on these cuts and their impact from reporter Max Kozlov.

Nature: ‘My career is over’: Columbia University scientists hit hard by Trump team’s cuts

Nature: How the NIH dominates the world’s health research — in charts

Nature: ‘Scientists will not be silenced’: thousands protest Trump research cuts

Nature: Exclusive: NIH to terminate hundreds of active research grants

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