News Summaries

Light’s Twist Unlocks Uncrackable Hologram Security

A team of scientists led by Professor Jonghwa Shin at the University of Seoul has created a new kind of hologram that uses the hidden properties of light as a secret key. By designing a special “vector hologram metasurface,” they can make the hologram display completely different three‑dimensional pictures depending on how the incoming light is polarized and twisted. In technical terms, the device reads the total angular momentum of the light beam – a combination of its spin (polarization) and orbital (twist) motion – and uses that information to select which image appears. The breakthrough, reported in the journal Advanced Materials with Dr. Joonkyo Jung as first author, shows that these two fundamental light characteristics can be merged into a single, independent information key. Because reproducing the exact light conditions is extremely difficult, the technology promises ultra‑secure anti‑counterfeit tags for money, passports, and high‑value goods. It could also pave the way for ultra‑fast, high‑capacity optical communications, where data is encoded in the light’s twist and polarization. Professor Shin says the approach could become a core platform for security systems that are practically impossible to copy.

Europe’s New Super‑computer JUPITER Simulates 50‑Qubit Quantum Machine, Setting World Record

Scientists at Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich have used the continent’s first exascale supercomputer, named JUPITER, to mimic a 50‑qubit quantum computer – a feat never achieved before. The simulation breaks the previous record of 48 qubits, which was set in 2019 on Japan’s K computer. By running a specially designed program called JUQCS‑50, the team could explore how a full‑scale quantum processor would behave, even though such hardware does not yet exist. The breakthrough shows how powerful modern supercomputers have become, offering a virtual laboratory for quantum researchers. According to Prof. Hans De Raedt, the lead author, the simulation can tackle problems that current quantum chips cannot handle, helping scientists test new algorithms and understand quantum behavior with high accuracy. Beyond the headline, the project aims to make the tool widely available. Through the Jülich UNified Infrastructure for Quantum Computing (JUNIQ), other research groups and companies will be able to run their own quantum experiments on JUPITER. This open‑access approach could speed up the development of future quantum technologies and provide a benchmark for the next generation of supercomputers.