December 11th 2024.
Think about this for a moment - the electronic device you're using to read this text can do many things, but there's one thing it can't do: perform calculations in minutes that would take the world's most powerful supercomputer 10 septillion years to complete. That number is so vast, it's longer than the universe has even existed! So, if you were relying on traditional computing, you'd be waiting for a very, very long time to get an answer.
But, this week, Google introduced a new type of chip called "Willow" and it's truly mind-boggling. The company has been researching quantum computing and has made a breakthrough with this superconducting chip. This could be the next step towards building large-scale quantum computers. This groundbreaking technology has the potential to lead to major developments in scientific discovery and solve problems that were previously considered unsolvable. Governments are already investing in this technology, but it also poses risks such as the ability to easily crack encrypted systems.
Even though a commercial quantum computer may not be available for some time, this is a major step in showing how it can be done. But, what exactly is quantum computing? To be honest, you'll have to look elsewhere for a detailed explanation. Even physicists don't fully understand how it works because it challenges our understanding of the laws of physics. Traditional computers use binary bits of information (0 and 1) to process data, but quantum computers use qubits, which can represent both 0 and 1 at the same time. This allows for a much larger range of possibilities. In traditional computers, information is exchanged using electrical signals, which takes time. But in quantum computing, qubits communicate in a fundamentally different way through a concept called "entanglement." If one qubit changes, another linked to it will also change simultaneously. This is known as "spooky action at a distance" because there is no signal traveling between the qubits.
So, why don't we have quantum computers already? The problem is that qubits are not very stable and quickly lose their quantum state. However, Google's new chip, Willow, has longer "quantum coherence," making it much more effective than previous offerings. But even with this improvement, keeping the computer together for long enough to do meaningful calculations is still a challenge. Quantum computers also require a lot of energy to keep the qubits at a cool enough temperature to work. They must be close to absolute zero to minimize movement and remain in a quantum state, even though the processor itself requires little power. Additionally, quantum computers need to interact with traditional computers to interpret the results, which is another obstacle. Scaling them to include hundreds or thousands of qubits with a low error rate has been historically difficult, but Google claims to have made progress in this area.
So, what are the potential uses of quantum computing? At the unveiling of Willow, Google's Director of Quantum Hardware, Julian Kelly, expressed his excitement about how this technology could be used to solve previously unsolvable problems. These could include finding new medicines, improving climate modeling, creating more efficient batteries, and gaining a better understanding of fusion power. But, we would also need to rethink our current systems of data security because quantum computers have the ability to easily break cryptographic codes. This could be helpful for cyber criminals, but it could also lead to the development of more secure encryption methods. The possibilities are truly mind-bending and we can't wait to see what the future holds for quantum computing.
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