Quantum Computing

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.

In Focus

Everything Has a Beginning and End, Right? Physicist Says No, With Profound Consequences for Measuring Quantum Interactions

Quantum technologies require measurements of quantum interactions, but is measuring accuracy possible if we can’t pinpoint the beginning and end in chains of cause and effect over time? Physicist Julian Barbour redefines time as an increasing complexity of interactions, when one arrow of time from the past splits at a “Janus point” into two arrows for the future. Could identifying the Janus point help to resolve the problem of circuit decoherence that has held back full-scale quantum computing?

Does Time Flow in Two Directions? Science Explores the Possibility—and its Stunning Implications

A new proof shows that time could move in opposite directions, both backward and forward like a pendulum, and equations of physics would work the same either way. Are there two arrows of time, not just the one that we experience moving from past to future? The mathematics of a two-arrow time flow describing both the original and end states of a quantum system could provide a solution for the problem of decoherence in fragile quantum circuits.

Quantum Biology Yields Evidence of Superradiance and its Potential for Quantum Information Processing

Quantum biology is an emerging area of research that’s uncovering important features of the cellular signalling networks in living organisms. In networks of tryptophan, a protein-building amino acid, scientists have discovered a process called superradiance that amplifies and efficiently transmits information to and from cells. With implications for quantum information processing, treating Alzheimer’s and dementia, and uncovering more about the microtubules in our brains, quantum biology promises to yield some important clues about cognition in natural neural networks.

Latest Quantum Computing

  • The Geometry of Information: Is Topological Quantum Computing the Future?

    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.

  • Remembering or Forgetting? Quantum Computing May Need Both

    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?

  • Mikhail Lukin and Markus Greiner

    Breakthrough in Error Correction Opens Potential for Large-Scale Quantum Computer Processing

    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.

  • US Army quantum sensor

    Quantum Sensing’s Revolutionary Potential for Cancer Treatment, Navigation, and Precision Measurement

    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.

  • Molybdenum

    One-dimensional metal may provide the perfect on/off switch for quantum devices

    Purple bronze is a one-dimensional metal composed of molybdenum, lithium, and oxygen which holds promise for instantaneous switching between on and off states in quantum devices. With a small amount of stimulus from heat or light, it exhibits emergent symmetry and moves from insulator to superconductor with equal probability of either at the boundary.

  • The Future of Quantum Computing Accelerates, Many Qubits at a Time

    The latest in quantum technology promises unimaginable computing speed and power. We survey developments ranging from room-temperature superconductivity to microchips holding electrically charged ions, for a glimpse at how quantum computing is poised to transform everything we know.

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.

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