The speed and accuracy of the quantum computer 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 signals transmitting from one quantum to another are both on and off with no difference in time. This is called “superposition”, the phenomenon in quantum physics that provides no indication of the order of a sequence in time and makes the quantum computer very different from computers commonly used today. What is the past cause and what is the future 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 have to maintain an accurate record of cause and effect when superposition provides no measurable difference in their order in time.
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.
Scientists are exploring the intriguing connections of consciousness to quantum mechanics and mathematics. Does consciousness exist at the level of the quantum, and if it does how does it operate – and can we be consciousness of consciousness itself?
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.
Still in its early days, quantum sensing technology holds the promise for early cancer detection, navigation, communications, seismology, and many other applications that require precision measurements beyond the capability of today’s instruments.
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.