NOVA: A Quantum Leap in Computing
Quantum Computing is a subject that I enjoy greatly and have been keeping an eye on for years now. Lloyd says it best in the article when in response to the question of why quantum computers are useful he states, "Well, the first reason that quantum computers are useful is that they're just cool, let's face it! Like, so weird, like, whoa! Amazing, can that really happen?" Oh and yeah, they'll most likely render all known encryption on earth completely useless.
You may have heard of Schrödinger's cat? Here's a quick cute video on that whole cat thing:
The fascinating part is, what Erwin Schrödinger proposed in that thought experiment *actually happens* in reality: highlight on observation entanglement causality
This part of the article -- the counter-intuitive nature of quantum mechanics -- reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein (who, btw, objected to quantum mechanics):
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
A few years ago while working at a global investment bank, I was pretty close with some of their hardcore computer engineers. They were looking at a tech company that actually built and was selling the first commercial application quantum computer. It didn't really have any true business use; it was a QC composed of only four Q-bits if I remember correctly. However again, Lloyd points out, "[We] here at MIT showed that quantum computers could actually solve big sets of equations like [those which describe] the stock market much more rapidly than a classical computer."
More to come!
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