Someone is finally using nuclear energy to transmit data!!

Amazing, isn’t it?

I just loved it the first time I heard the concept.

It reminded me of those witches and wizards who conjure connections and transmit messages out of nowhere.

Numerous other efforts are being made to create better and faster ways of data transmission everywhere, but this one needs a mention as a lot of work is already done in this direction.

For the first time, engineers at Lancaster University have successfully transferred digitally encoded information, in short, data, using nuclear radiation rather than the conventional technological methods used currently.

Conventional energy resources used currently for data transmission requires a bit of attention before we move on to this novel method.

We are surely aware of what data transmission is?

Considering that we are aware of what a data transmission is (wherein we can receive transmitted data from a CPU to the monitor or from a satellite to the Earth), we will move on to the next big question, and that is- How is the data transmitted between two or more digital devices?

In simple words, data is transmitted in bits (not in bits and pieces, yet in bits) but as bits.

For a flawless data transmission, two primary methods are used currently.

Data Transmission

There are two main types.

Serial Transmission:

In serial transmission, there is a single channel. One bit is transferred after the other in this type of transmission.

How does serial transmission work?

Serial transmission is a technology where the data is sent or received in a certain order flowing in a determined pattern one after the other. If you can imagine how the data is being sent, you know that to make sense, the data must be transmitted only in a certain order.

Advantages of serial data transmission

• The advantage of using serial transmission is that a data bit will not be transferred unless the previous data bit has been completely sent or received.
• It works best for long-range data transfer.
• It is also a valuable way of data transfer when the amount of data being sent is relatively small in size.
• Since data is transmitted in a certain order, data integrity is not an issue with serial data transmission.

• Parallel Transmission: In this form, multiple channels can send and receive multiple bits all at the same time.

How does parallel transmission work?

The nearness of the data source, available bandwidth and user location are the prime factors that control the transmission of data through parallel networks.

Parallel transmission does not ensure linear data transmission, instead, it could even be haphazard.

Advantages of using parallel data transmission

• Data can be transferred much faster through this method.
• If the data sent has a high degree of sensitivity for time, then this method can be a valuable way to send data.

Ideally, electrical data transfer through wired ways uses Electrical Energy (EE).

Through wireless means, data transmission is possible using radio wave manipulations.

And now Tada! We have nuclear radiation to support wireless data transfer.

Here is a way in which fast neutrons from Californium-252 gives out spontaneous emissions.

What is the isotope used?

Californium-252 is produced in nuclear reactors as a radioactive isotope.

Fast neutronic transmissions have an edge over the electromagnetic waves as these won’t be weakened during transmission, unlike the electromagnetic waves that degrade when passing through materials made of metals.

The researchers at Josef Stefan Institute, Slovenia are working in close conjugation with the experts of Lancaster University, the United Kingdom to transfer data using fast neutrons obtained from the continuous emissions of Californium-252.

Modulated emissions were recorded through a detector, and a laptop seemed to satisfy the researchers immensely.

Data transfer through nuclear energy- results

They have transferred a word, an alphabet, even a number chosen randomly. The encoding was done serially into the neutron field modulation, and then its output was detected on a laptop.

A double-blind test was also performed in this regard. What they did in this test was that they encoded a random number generator’s randomly produced numbers into the modulated neutron field without any knowledge of it and then transmitted the same to the laptop. When examined the data transfer was rightfully accomplished through this means, and all other tests that were run concluded with cent per cent success scores.

Benefits of data transfer using nuclear energy

Professor Malcolm Joyce of Lancaster University confirmed that they had built a way to transmit data in places where electromagnetic transmissions cannot feasibly reach or are extremely limited by all means.

Fast neutrons can also be mingled with electronic transfer (done by electrons instead of neutrons), and this way, the data transferred could be more of an integrated transfer.

Using neutronic data transfer could reduce the need for maritime structures on penetrations and is a desirable means to transmit data in situations involving emergency rescue operations.

Whoa!

Don’t you feel like we are moving from Gen Z to the world of Gen Omega?

All we can say is welcome to the world of tales into the real world for the first time ever!