Nature: In theory, sending quantum-encrypted messages is secure because any attempt at snooping is apparent to the recipient. In practice, the physical systems that encrypt the messages are imperfect. Noise creeps in. Still, until now, physicists had believed that if noise remained below 20%, snooping would be exposed. The University of Toronto’s Feihu Xu, Bing Qi, and Hoi-Kwong Lo have devised a method to intercept quantum encrypted communication while remaining below the 20% detection threshold.
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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