Scientists from the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark have teleported a complex atom approximately half a meter.
I find that teleportation is one of the most interesting fruits of quantum research. The very idea of transportation from one point to another instantaneously is the sort of thing we dream about. Scientists have been able to successfully teleport matter for the past several years, but generally only particles, and only microscopic distances at best.
This most recent development is significant because of the relatively large amount of matter, and the distance. What made it possible was the fact that the complexity of the atom, the information describing it, was conveyed with teleported light at the same time that the atom was teleported. On a practical level, this means that we are closer to achieving quantum computing - a significant improvement over electronics. On the other hand, macroscopic teleportation may never be feasible (which means this won't affect your morning commute any time soon).
The results are published in the journal Nature.
