Fighting Counterfeiters With Quantum Money 149
the_newsbeagle writes "This article discusses a proposal to create cash that can't be counterfeited by embedding quantum particles in banknotes. A counterfeiter trying to copy a real bill would have to precisely measure all the attributes of the embedded quantum particles — which is impossible under the tricky laws of quantum mechanics (PDF). MIT computer scientist Scott Aaronson, who famously offered a prize for anyone who could prove quantum computers are impossible, said, 'This is science fiction, but it’s science fiction that doesn’t violate any of the known laws of physics.'"
Re:Sooo (Score:5, Funny)
What happens when someone needs to look at the money to verify it's not counterfeit?
They get a cat that might be alive.
This sucks at the point-of-sale (Score:5, Funny)
Where they have to use cats instead of the much simpler counterfeit checking pens.
This will be a profit loser and allergic shoppers will suffer in particular.
Schrodinger's Money (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Schrodinger's Money (Score:5, Funny)
You never know if you still have any left until you open your wallet to check.
I've got matrimonial money. I don't have to open my wallet to know my wife has it all.
Re:Sooo (Score:2, Funny)
I thought we settled it yesterday that you could just take the dead cat and turn it into a helicopter to raise money.
let's be honest here... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:This sucks at the point-of-sale (Score:2, Funny)
Actually, they test for cocaine residue.