🎦 UK marks first quantum-secured video call, human hand X-ray in space, 300,000-lumen light beam turns night into day

We’re Live: Lexicon Podcast with Brent Lucas

The newest Lexicon episode is out! How is untreated hearing loss linked to cognitive decline? Join Brent Lucas, CEO of Envoy Medical, as he explores the future of fully implanted hearing devices, Apple's move into the hearing aid market, and the hidden impact of hearing loss on mental health.

🎧️ Tune in now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website!

A collaborative effort between researchers at the University of Bristol and Cambridge led to the first quantum-secured video call over a long distance in the UK.

Carried out using standard fiber optic infrastructure, the network uses two types of quantum key distribution (QKD) to demonstrate a resilient and future-proof network. The researchers successfully demonstrated data transfer over a network 250 miles (410 km) long.

Increased efforts from researchers and private organizations are heralding us to a future where quantum computing is only a matter of when rather than if. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

Reading Time: 4 mins

Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? Subscribe here.

MUST-READ

🎦 250-mile: UK marks first quantum-secured video call with fiber optics

In 2019, researchers at Cambridge demonstrated a quantum scale network that operated at record key rates of millions of keys per second. The following year, researchers at Bristol built a network that demonstrated quantum entanglement between multiple users.

The current UKQN covers these two metropolitan quantum networks around Bristol and Cambridge and connects them via four long optical fiber links spanning 250 miles (410 km).

This long-distance fiber optic cable has three intermediate nodes and low-loss optical switches that allow reconfiguration between quantum and classical signals.

🩻 First human hand X-ray in space: SpaceX mission achieves milestone

A new chapter in X-ray history has been written over hundreds of miles above our planet. A medical X-ray of a human hand has been taken successfully in space for the first time.

The remarkable feat was achieved by the crew of SpaceX’s private Fram2 mission. More than just a trip to space, this was the first human spaceflight in a polar orbit, circling Earth from pole to pole.

The Fram2 mission was a unique endeavor, funded by Maltese cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang, who was joined by three fellow polar expedition enthusiasts.

𖥂'Flying Sun' drone's 300,000-lumen light beam turns night into day

A new drone system called the Flying Sun 1000 is poised to shake up how industries handle nighttime operations, thanks to its massive 300,000-lumen lighting capacity.

Manufactured by Washington-based Freefly Systems and built around its Alta X heavy-lift quadcopter, the Flying Sun 1000 provides intense overhead illumination, making even the darkest environments look almost like daytime.

The system’s unique mobility and brightness could be a game-changer for search-and-rescue missions, construction sites, or emergency responses.

Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. Subscribe here

HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> In an astonishing breakthrough, Grace Davidson, 36, became the first woman to deliver a baby after a womb transplant in the UK. (More)

> Scientists in the US have discovered a newly identified phylum of microbes thriving up to 70 feet underground, which help purify groundwater and could offer clues for filtering pollutants from drinking water. (More)

> The CMS collaboration, one of the four key experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, has announced the possible discovery of the tiniest hadron ever seen. (More)

ENERGY

> In a bid to revolutionize fields such as clean energy research, environmental monitoring, and medicine, the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) has developed the world’s first radiation detector module for nuclear experiments. (More)

> The U.S.-China trade war is heating up again—this time with serious implications for critical minerals. (More)

> Tokyo-based precision components manufacturer Orbray has announced the development of an advanced radiation nuclear detector. (More)

INNOVATION

> As the US Navy plans to finalize the developer of its sixth-generation fighter jet, the F/A-XX, the service has provided some crucial information about the upcoming marvel. (More)

> H2 Clipper, a company specializing in hydrogen-based transportation and infrastructure, has secured a patent for a breakthrough in aerospace manufacturing. (More)

> Chinese scientists recently made history after fine-tuning a billion-parameter artificial intelligence model on their independently developed quantum computer named Origin Wukong. (More)

VIDEO

> U.S. Navy aviation stands at the core of American power projection, combining global reach with unmatched flexibility. With a fleet of supercarriers acting as mobile airbases, the Navy can deploy fighter jets, electronic warfare aircraft, and surveillance platforms anywhere in the world—without needing foreign bases or host nation approval. (More)

> The M134 Minigun, with a fire rate of up to 6,000 rounds per minute, delivers overwhelming firepower. Developed in the Vietnam War, this electric Gatling gun remains vital on helicopters, vehicles, and ships. (More)

FROM THE WEB

> No, the dire wolf has not been brought back from extinction

> North Korea seen building 140-meter guided missile frigate, analysts say

> World's largest hydrogen + lithium energy storage system to come online in California this quarter

> Saturn's moon Titan could harbor life, but only a tiny amount, study finds

> Thai-made brain surgery robot offers new hope for epilepsy

> South Korea is converting an abandoned coal mine into a moon exploration testing ground