In an analogy used to describe quantum computing

I have understood that qubits are special ways to store data where they exist in more than the conventional 2 states. However, I do not understand how they are read, interpreted and manipulated despite reading quite a few articles. Is there possibly a good analogy to explain how they can potentially speed up calculations? $\begingroup$ A quantum computer is basically just a parallel computer that has a computing power that scales with $O(2^n)$ instead of $O(n)$, where $n$ is the number of computing elements. Since this means that a quantum computer smaller than a grain of sand could be faster than a machine the size of the universe, we can pretty much take for granted that there is a physical limit somewhere that restricts these architectures to far less than their naive theoretical capability. I would bet some money on quantum computing finding new physics rather than delivering actually fully working machines. $\endgroup$

Quantum computing exploits the puzzling behavior that scientists have been observing for decades in nature's smallest particles – think atoms, photons or electrons. At this scale, the classical laws of physics ceases to apply, and instead we shift to quantum rules. While researchers don't understand everything about the quantum world, what they do know is that quantum particles hold immense potential, in particular to hold and process large amounts of information. Successfully bringing those particles under control in a quantum computer could trigger an explosion of compute power that would phenomenally advance innovation in many fields that require complex calculations, like drug discovery, climate modelling, financial optimization or logistics. As Bob Sutor, chief quantum exponent at IBM, puts it: "Quantum computing is our way of emulating nature to solve extraordinarily difficult problems and make them tractable," he tells ZDNet. • Quantum computing: IBM's first private sector on-premise quantum computer is going to this research lab • Quantum computing: How basic broadband fiber could pave the way to the next breakthrough • Are quantum computers good at picking stocks? This project tried to find out Quantum computers come in various shapes and forms, but they are all built on the same principle: they host a quantum processor where quantum particles can be isolated for engineers to manipulate. The nature of those quantum particles, as well as the method employed to co...

Slowly but surely, Google made headlines in October 2019 upon proclaiming that it had achieved the long-anticipated breakthrough of “quantum supremacy.” That’s when a quantum IBM, for one, wasn’t having it. The other big player in quantum, it promptly posted a response essentially arguing that Google had underestimated the muscle of IBM supercomputers — which, though blazingly fast, aren’t of the quantum variety. Tech giant head-butting aside, Google’s achievement was a genuine milestone — one that further established quantum computing in the broader consciousness and prompted more people to wonder: What will these things actually do? • Artificial intelligence • Better batteries • Cleaner fertilization • Cybersecurity • Drug development • Electronic materials discovery • Financial modeling • Solar capture • Traffic optimization • Weather forecasting and climate change But even once quantum computing reigns supreme, its potential impact remains largely theoretical. But that’s more a reflection of quantum computing’s still-fledgling status than unfulfilled promise. Before commercial-scale quantum computing is a thing, however, researchers must clear some major hurdles. Chief among them is upping the number of qubits, units of information that these impressive pieces of Despite quantum’s still-hypothetical nature and the long road ahead, predictions and From cybersecurity to pharmaceutical research to finance, here are some ways quantum computing facilitates major advancement...

Time crystals. Microwaves. Diamonds. What do these three disparate things have in common? Quantum computing. Unlike traditional computers that use bits, quantum computers use qubits to encode information as zeros or ones, or both at the same time. Coupled with a cocktail of forces from quantum physics, these fridge-sized machines can process a whole lot of information – but they’re far from flawless. Just like our regular computers, we need to have the right programming languages to properly compute on quantum computers. Programming quantum computers requires awareness of something called “entanglement”, a computational multiplier for qubits of sorts, which translates to a lot of power. When two qubits are entangled, actions on one qubit can change the value of the other even when they are physically separated, giving rise to Einstein’s characterization of “spooky action at a distance.” But that potency is equal parts a source of weakness. When programming, discarding one qubit without being mindful of its entanglement with another qubit can destroy the data stored in the other, jeopardizing the correctness of the program. Scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (CSAIL) aimed to do some unraveling by creating their own programming language for quantum computing called “Twist.” Twist can describe and verify which pieces of data are entangled in a quantum program, through a language a classical programmer can understand. The language uses a concept...

Pictured; James Day speaks at Quantum Futures at the Museum of Anthropology, April 2018. Image credit: It is commonly believed that art and science are opposites, each serving different and unrelated functions, relegated to different academic disciplines and cohorts. As we develop the tools and knowledge to unravel the mysteries of the universe, however, it has become clear to people like James Day that art and science need each other more than ever. In a “We did not evolve to understand quantum mechanics,” Day said on stage at Et Al 3, an event hosted by local science outreach groups in 2018. “A lot of the concepts we’re discovering just don’t make a lot of sense in our macroscopic world.” Day, a Research Associate at the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute (Blusson QMI) is as much a communicator as he is a scientist; though he has described himself as “the least unqualified person” to take on arts-related projects, he has a unique talent for conveying the breadth and complexity of quantum materials research in accessible, straightforward terms. In 2018, Day participated in Quantum Futures, a visual and performing arts event curated by local art-science non-profit Curiosity Collider, in collaboration with UBC Physics & Astronomy (PHAS) and Blusson QMI. Day worked closely with Char Hoyt, Creative Director at Curiosity Collider, and Theresa Liao, PHAS Communications Coordinator, to develop hands-on activities designed to teach lay audiences some rudimentary concepts in...

Time crystals. Microwaves. Diamonds. What do these three disparate things have in common? Quantum computing. Unlike traditional computers that use bits, quantum computers use qubits to encode information as zeros or ones, or both at the same time. Coupled with a cocktail of forces from quantum physics, these refrigerator-sized machines can process a whole lot of information — but they’re far from flawless. Just like our regular computers, we need to have the right programming languages to properly compute on quantum computers. Programming quantum computers requires awareness of something called “entanglement,” a Scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (CSAIL) aimed to do some unraveling by creating their own programming language for quantum computing called Twist. Twist can describe and verify which pieces of data are entangled in a quantum program, through a language a classical programmer can understand. The language uses a concept called purity, which enforces the absence of entanglement and results in more intuitive programs, with ideally fewer bugs. For example, a programmer can use Twist to say that the temporary data generated as garbage by a program is not entangled with the program’s answer, making it safe to throw away. While the nascent field can feel a little flashy and futuristic, with images of mammoth wiry gold machines coming to mind, quantum computers have potential for computational breakthroughs in classically unsolvable tasks,...