A photonic quantum computer chip did nine thousand years’ worth of work in 36 microseconds. Now that’s fast. And I can’t even finish my to-do list in an eight-hour workday.
A computer chip that did the unthinkable
Researchers at Xanudo in Toronto designed a computer chip that vastly outperformed the fastest computers in solving a complicated sampling problem. According to the report they published on the website nature, their quantum chip Borealis solved this near-impossible problem in three millionths of a second.
Borealis is just the latest in a collection of highly innovative quantum computer chips in the last decade that has been completing tasks insanely faster than traditional computers and beyond most machines’ capabilities.
How do I relate to quantum computers?
Though this is a profoundly impressive achievement, you may be sitting there thinking, “okay, how does this apply to me?” Well, with quantum computing, we can solve new problems.
Quantum computers will be a consumer product down the road. Many scientists and developers are trying to make them more accessible to the general public. And although we are a long way from a consumer product, they’ll eventually help the average person.
How quantum computers help the average person
For example, quantum computers will significantly improve internet data security. Everything you search for and all your personal information is safer when encrypted. Right now, a quantum computer can break even the strongest encryption. However, if we improve this technology, we will eventually be able to create a hack-proof encryption process. Which would keep your online information safe.
Again, we are still far from normalizing quantum computers, but the general public will benefit when we do. And whether it’s nine thousand years of work or Google searching for your favorite peach cobbler recipe, the internet will be a better place when we do.