Camber racing – a race car with advanced technology and Team RUDRA – minds behind the MRAS rover on display at Deep Tech Summit 2026 in Chennai on April 7, 2026. .
| Photo Credit: Velankanni Raj B

Kadhambari S. Viswanathan, assistant vice-president, Vellore Institute of Technology, in conversation with L.V. Navaneeth, Chief Executive Officer, The Hindu Group, at The Hindu Tech Summit 2026 on Friday (February 13, 2026).
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh during the inauguration of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi, on November 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

In a groundbreaking scientific achievement, researchers have figured out a way to achieve the unthinkable: quantum teleportation. While the name may suggest that humans could be teleported through the technology, it is far from the real-life implication of the technology. Quantum teleportation allows the transfer of information instantly and over any distance without needing any future technology. Led by Prem Kumar from Northwestern University, Illinois, US, scientists demonstrated quantum teleportation over standard fibre optic cable that already carries everyday internet traffic, according to a report in ScieneAlert.

In simple terms, quantum teleportation involves sending information from one place to another using something called “quantum entanglement”. Think of entanglement like an invisible twin connection where two particles, even if miles apart, are linked in a way that what happens to one instantly affects the other. Unlike sending a physical object, you are sending the state or condition of a particle.

“This is incredibly exciting because nobody thought it was possible. Our work shows a path towards next-generation quantum and classical networks sharing a unified fibre optic infrastructure. Basically, it opens the door to pushing quantum communications to the next level,” said Mr Kumar.

The study involved the careful management of light scattering to ensure that the delicate quantum information, carried by photons, could survive amidst the swarm of internet data. To achieve the desired result, the scientists utilised a specific wavelength for the quantum signal and implemented filters to minimise interference from other data streams.

“We carefully studied how light is scattered and placed our photons at a judicial point where that scattering mechanism is minimised. We found we could perform quantum communication without interference from the classical channels that are simultaneously present,” added Mr Kumar.

Also Read | Google’s Latest Breakthrough A Major Leap In Quantum Computing

The result was a successful teleportation of a quantum state of light, which represents a significant leap towards integrating quantum communication with existing internet infrastructure. Notably, this was not just a simulation; it was done in real-world conditions, showcasing the practical viability of quantum communication alongside traditional data transmission.

One of the biggest appeals of quantum teleportation is that it can occur almost as fast as light travels. The development is a big step towards quantum internet that could revolutionise traditional computing. From secure encryption methods to enhanced sensing capabilities to potentially even connecting quantum computers on a global scale, without needing specialised infrastructure — the potential for the technology remains immense.

Pfizer’s gene therapy trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy resulted in a young patient’s death. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A young patient died due to cardiac arrest after receiving Pfizer’s experimental gene therapy being tested in a mid-stage trial for a muscle-wasting disorder called Duchenne muscular dystrophy(DMD), the drugmaker told Reuters on May 7.

“A fatal serious adverse event was reported as cardiac arrest for a participant in the Phase 2 DAYLIGHT study,” a company spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed response.

The trial is testing boys two to three years of age with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic muscle wasting disorder in which most patients lack the protein dystrophin which keeps muscles intact. The disorder affects an estimated one-in-3,500 male births worldwide.

“The patient received the investigational gene therapy, fordadistrogene movaparvovec, in early 2023,” as per a statement from a community letter attributed to the drugmaker’s DMD gene therapy team and posted by a nonprofit advocacy group.

Pfizer did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking confirmation on the community letter attributed to the company.

All participants will be followed in the study, for five years after treatment with gene therapy, initiated in August 2022 and estimated to complete in early 2029, as per information updated by the company on a registry of clinical trials.

The company said, together with the independent external data monitoring committee, it is in the process of reviewing the data to understand the potential cause.

The gene therapy candidate is also being tested in the another late-stage DMD study, called CIFFREO, in patients in boys 4 to less than 8 years of age, as per pipeline updates on the drugmaker’s website.

There is not an impact to our expectation of having late-stage results, the company told Reuters in its email.

“We anticipate potentially beginning the primary analysis of the Phase 3 CIFFREO trial of fordadistrogene movaparvovec at the end of this month and sharing top-line results relatively soon,” it added.