The first ever transmission of information using a beam of neutrinos has be achieved by physicists in the US. The demonstration is highly preliminary – it operates at less than 1 bit/s – and will require a lot of development before it can have any useful application. Nevertheless, the work proves a concept that physicists have been contemplating for years and that could ultimately be used in situations where other means of communications are not feasible.
Electromagnetic radiation – particularly at visible, microwave and radio wavelengths – is today's carrier of choice for moving information. It is easy to transmit, easy to detect and can carry a lot of information. However, there are some situations where it does not work very well. One example is the transmission of information to nuclear submarines, which can remain submerged almost indefinitely. The problem is that seawater is opaque to electromagnetic radiation at the wavelengths short enough to transmit information at a useful rate. Submarines therefore have to float a wire antenna to the surface, which restricts their speed and depth, making them easier to detect.
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