The claim that a quantum computer has done something a classical machine can’t has generated plenty of excitement, but true quantum computing will take time to appear
| Leader
30 October 2019
IT ISN’T often that scientific breakthroughs sound like the next James Bond movie, but quantum supremacy has all the makings of an espionage blockbuster: an online leak, bitter enemies and the potential to save or destroy the world. Well, sort of.
With the announcement of the first quantum computer capable of doing calculations beyond those of even the best supercomputers, Google has secured yet another place in the history books, even with rival IBM biting at its heels (see “It’s official: Google has achieved quantum supremacy“). To help set out what this milestone means – and what it doesn’t – we have put together a special report on all things quantum computing.
If qubits leave you queasy, start with our cheat sheet (see “What is a…
