Implications of communication through quantum entanglement

AI Thread Summary
The discussion explores the concept of communication through quantum entanglement in a science fiction universe where casual faster-than-light (FTL) travel exists. Two story arcs are proposed: one where entanglement allows urgent communication but is limited and not suitable for casual use, and another where entanglement can be maintained without depletion, though still vulnerable to interference. The implications include restricted use for critical messages and potential applications like quantum radar, which could challenge stealth technologies. However, a counterpoint is raised regarding the No-Communication Theorem, which asserts that entanglement cannot be used for communication, suggesting that FTL and quantum mechanics should be treated as separate concepts. Overall, the conversation highlights the creative possibilities and scientific limitations of integrating quantum entanglement into a fictional narrative.
GTOM
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I am building an SF universe. While it is very similar to ours, but casual FTL exists. I don't think Lorentz transformations shouldn't work at all, but rather extra dimensions can somehow circumvent them. One kind of FTL is direct communication through entanglement.

There can be two version of it. (Actually i plan two story arc. In the first, humans find much more advanced alien tech, that allows a rapid technological jump, that turns the fate of the whole solar system.)
In the first version, measurement breaks entanglement, but its possible to extract useful data without directly compare measurements on both sides. In the second, it is possible to communicate without depleting the set of entangled pairs, but it still has constraints like a hyperspace jump, or somekind of enemy countermeasure can break entanglement, so it isn't a good idea to rely on FTL droning (which is pretty much fun killer).

So what could be the implications of the first version of entaglement based communication?

Due to its serious limits, common people on Earth couldn't just chit-chat with people on Mars without delay times.
I think the use of it has to be restricted to very urgent, important messages. They couldn't possibly tap into it unless they directly hack the endpoints.
It can be also used to swap encryption keys. I guess even though quantum computers could crack present day encryptions fast, but they still don't have infinite calculating power, so its possible to swap so large encryption keys, that even traditional radio communication can be safe.

An interesting application would be quantum radar, send out entangled photons, keep their pairs in the radar, and notice they change, when the emitted photons hit something.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a28818232/quantum-radar/(I am not sure how it actually works, theese kind of articles tend to extrapolate things, i don't intend to say it relies on FTL signaling, still, it inspired me. And in my universe, a quantum radar could really rely on FTL stuff.)

Would that mean that stealth aircraft would lose its significance? (Although simply detect something isn't the same as getting exact coordinates, or guide a missile to it.)
In space we can already say no stealth unless something can mask all heat emission, which is practically impossible with ignited rockets. That hypothetical quantum radar is still an active sensor, so it isn't that hard to locate and destroy them with directed energy (laser, EMP) weapons. That quantum radar don't ignore background, so celestial bodies still offer the possibility of stealth, hide.

What can be other issues, that i missed?
 
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Isnt any SF literature that could help? I opened the topic, since i haven't been able to imagine something like that quantum radar.
 
GTOM said:
Isnt any SF literature that could help? I opened the topic, since i haven't been able to imagine something like that quantum radar.

Check out a recent paper from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria by S. Barzanjeh, S. Pirandola, D. Vitali, and J. M. Fink that describes an experimental quantum radar approach.
 
GTOM said:
I am building an SF universe. While it is very similar to ours, but casual FTL exists. I don't think Lorentz transformations shouldn't work at all, but rather extra dimensions can somehow circumvent them. One kind of FTL is direct communication through entanglement.
...
So what could be the implications of the first version of entaglement based communication?
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What can be other issues, that i missed?
Sorry to be a party-pooper but communication by entanglement is impossible. There is a theorem which proves it, called, would you believe?, the No-Communication Theorem. If I've understood you correctly, you are happy to introduce "extra dimensions" to get your FTL, so you don't need to use anything quantum anyway. You can use the full panoply of real quantum phenomena especially those with application in communications. They are perfectly real, but they stick to the speed limit. Of course it's a local speed limit, not an end-to-end one, so you can use your FTL mechanism for a shortcut. Just keep the FTL and the quantum stuff separate.
 
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