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Quantum Blockchains Could Act Like Time Machines

IEEE Spectrum: A newly proposed "quantum blockchain" could lead to blockchain systems impervious from quantum-computer hacking, a new study finds.

This new quantum blockchain can be interpreted as influencing its own past, making it behave like a time machine, the researchers add.

A blockchain is a kind of database that holds records about the past, such as a history of financial or other transactions, that every node in the network can agree on and that does not require a centralized institution to maintain its ongoing accuracy. The most well-known application of blockchains is Bitcoin, but a diverse array of startup companies, corporate alliances, and research projects have explored other potential uses for the technology.

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