ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Quantum cryptography

Quantum cryptography is like a secret code that uses tiny particles that act really strange. These particles are too small to see with regular eyes, but scientists know they exist because they have special machines that can detect them.

Imagine you want to send a secret message to your friend, but you don't want anyone else to know. In regular cryptography, you would use a key to scramble your message and make it unreadable. But in quantum cryptography, you use those tiny particles to make sure your message is safe.

These particles are called quantum bits or qubits, and they can be in more than one state at the same time. That sounds weird, right? It's like saying you're both sitting and standing at the same time. But that's how tiny particles work.

So, when you send your message using quantum cryptography, you and your friend agree on a special code made of those qubits—in other words, how to scramble your message. Any eavesdropper that tries to intercept your message won't be able to read it because they don't have the special code that only you and your friend have.

But wait, there's more! Quantum cryptography also has a special trick up its sleeve. When someone tries to intercept your message, they will change those qubits, and you and your friend will know that someone has been snooping because the qubits won't be in the right state anymore.

In summary, quantum cryptography is like a super-secret code that uses tiny particles that can be in more than one state at the same time. It can detect if someone is trying to snoop on your message and keeps your message safe.