Researchers Build 2-Qubit Randomness System With 1.5 Billion Bell Tests

5 articles · Updated · Scientific American · May 27

A Nature study says a two-qubit setup can produce certifiably random numbers, aiming to close a key weakness in modern encryption.
Two entangled qubits were placed at opposite ends of a 30-meter tube near absolute zero, so researchers could rule out classical interference and verify the output.
The team ran about 1.5 billion Bell tests, then used the results in an algorithm to amplify them into certified randomness; a sheep image converted into the system could not be reconstructed.
Researchers said the second qubit is the new element, serving as a verification layer that boosts trust in the randomness rather than just generating it.
The work targets a current cryptography problem as well as future quantum-era threats, since flawed random-number generation has already enabled real-world hacks.

Beyond unbreakable codes, how could harnessing 'true randomness' reshape fields like AI, science, and even global finance?

With quantum computers poised to break today's codes, can this new technology truly secure our digital future?