The speed and accuracy of quantum computers now under development are bringing humanity to the brink of a technological revolution. It remains unclear which of the many probable futures we will choose to create with the technology’s transformative potential, but as rapid scientific advances promise to overcome technological hurdles like error correction, a quantum computing future may be closer to the present than imagined. By showcasing developments in the emerging technology and deciphering some of the complexities in its mathematics, geometry, physics, and computer science, The Quantum Record aims to empower the public imagination in shaping the future we will all share in.
The Mystery of Time: Quantum Superposition and Quantum Accounting
The quantum is the smallest amount of energy in the universe that can either cause physical change or be physically changed. The vast speed and power of the quantum computer comes from the physics of quantum entanglement, in which the information bits (called “qubits”) connect in a way that signals transmit between qubits with no difference in time. This is called “superposition”, the phenomenon in quantum physics that provides no indication of the sequential order of signals and makes the quantum computer very different from computers commonly used today. What is the cause and what is the effect, when an exchange of signals in the quantum computer gives no indication of the order of cause and effect? The binary computer you are using now keeps a reliable record of the order of its signals because of the time it takes to switch between signal-on and signal-off states, but in making an account of quantum signals we will need to maintain an accurate record of cause and effect when superposition provides no measurable difference of their order in time.
Topological quantum computing could set the path to resolving error correction challenges in today’s quantum computers. The technology uses braiding and other mathematical concepts to map quantum signals in two, three, and four dimensions, and holds promise in combination with photonic qubits.
Both memory and forgetfulness may be requirements for error-free quantum computing. New research shows the potential of non-Abelian anyons, which retain enduring memory, to operate with quantum maze-solving algorithms, which sacrifice memory for efficiency. Could eliminating noise among qubits be close at hand?
Error correction is a major challenge in connecting qubits, the unit of information in quantum computers. In a recent breakthrough, Harvard-led scientists have created the first-ever quantum circuit with error-correcting logical qubits, opening the potential for large-scale processing.
Major advances are being made in creating a quantum memory capable of storing the massive volumes of data that a fully-functioning quantum computer will produce. It will remove a major barrier to the networking of quantum computers, the next step in multiplying the power of the machines. How soon can the infrastructure be developed, and under what rules will the network operate?
In the race to eliminate errors in quantum computer circuits, Quantinuum’s September announcement of plans to develop a fully fault-tolerant machine by 2029 raises the bar for competitors. With rapid progress in error reduction being made, we survey the latest in differing quantum computer designs and some of the first applications for a fully functioning machine, possibly even improving controversial large language model technology.
Located 2 kilometres below ground near Sudbury, Canada, SNOLAB is the world’s deepest underground facility studying interactions of cosmic rays and radiation with bits of quantum information (qubits). In the “clean” lab shielding experiments from cosmic radiation experienced on the Earth’s surface, researchers aim to reduce errors in qubit connections and advance more reliable and efficient quantum computers.
Quantum teleportation is process that transfers quantum information between locations without moving the quantum bits. A novel method could achieve teleportation without the environmental noise that causes loss of connections in today’s quantum computers, by leveraging the properties of the noise itself. This could lead to fully functional quantum computers, and as a leading scientist explains, possibly the discovery of traversable wormholes.
Expected within months, new standards for post-quantum cryptography will replace current mathematical encryption methods that powerful quantum computers will be able to decipher. Will the new standards, primarily using the geometry of lattices, be sufficient to secure the world’s data? We look at the current state of the race for the next generation of encryption to keep the world’s data safe.
The observer effect, which produces a different scattering pattern when a beam of light is observed compared to the unobserved beam, remains a deep mystery at the quantum level. How does the quantum somehow connect to our conscious measurements, and does it imprint our measurements in the curvature of spacetime as as Sir Roger Penrose has proposed? What’s going on in our heads may say something about quantum reality.
The Quantum Record is a non-profit journal of philosophy, science, technology, and time. The potential of the future is in the human mind and heart, and in the common ground that we all share on the road to tomorrow. Promoting reflection, discussion, and imagination, The Quantum Record highlights the good work of good people and aims to join many perspectives in shaping the best possible time to come. We would love to stay in touch with you, and add your voice to the dialogue.