Exploring the Enigma of “Very Small Things” through Quantum Computing
A computing revolution rooted in quantum mechanics, the branch of physics that explains the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level, is on the verge of transforming the world. A U.S. government scientist has described quantum science as the set of principles governing the behavior of extremely tiny entities.
This field is full of surprises, even for experts. Richard Feynman, the late theoretical physicist, Nobel laureate and pioneer of quantum computing, described the field as “strange and mysterious to everyone—beginners and more experienced physicists alike” because it is so different from human experience and view of behavior. and properties of larger objects.
A turning point in quantum computing occurred in 1994, when the American mathematician Peter Shor developed an algorithm – a mathematical method for performing a calculation – that showed that quantum computers could be used to solve problems beyond the reach of classical computers.
Codebreaking is likely to be an important early application. According to cybersecurity experts, these computers are expected to be able to crack encryption codes in minutes rather than the thousands of years that current computers would take.
According to industry experts, North America is the center of quantum computing. US companies building quantum processors include IBM, Amazon, Intel, Google, Quantinuum, IonQ, Microsoft, Quantum Computing Inc and Rigetti Computing. In Canada, D-Wave Systems and Xanadu Quantum Technologies have been pioneers.
According to a recent report by McKinsey, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom had the most startups in the field in 2022.
In January, China’s Origin Quantum Computing Technology Company, based in Anhui province, announced it had delivered a fully homemade quantum computer to a user, according to Chinese state-controlled media. Some of China’s tech giants, such as Baidu and Tencent, are also working on quantum computing.
Origin Quantum did not respond to a request for comment.
It is certain that significant technical challenges must be overcome before these computers are truly useful. According to physics researchers, so far only small computers with a relatively small number of qubits have been built in laboratories around the world. These computers are very fragile, and the hardware is prone to “noise” such as variations in the Earth’s magnetic field or other electromagnetic signals, leading to errors. And they are still too small to solve some challenging problems, including code cracking.
But some of these early quantum computers are now being used for preliminary research in a number of fields. For example, car giant Mercedes-Benz is now using IBM’s quantum computers to design better batteries, according to IBM. Some technologists predict that these computers may soon become even more useful. They say that combining these early machines with traditional processors can lead to significant improvements in solving complex problems.
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) predicts in a May report that business will benefit from quantum computing as early as 2025. Quantum computing could generate up to $850 billion in revenue for users by around 2035, when BCG expects the technology to be mature, the company said in the report.
