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As far as quantum computing breakthroughs go, this latest one by a team of researchers from the U.S., Australia and South Africa is truly special. According to the researchers, a tiny crystal comprising only 300 atoms developed by them has paved the way for a “huge leap” in computing. A leap so vast, these researchers claim, that it would take a supercomputer larger than the known universe to do the kind of calculations possible with their “quantum simulator,” a special type of quantum computer. Hit the jump for more.
"Computing technology has taken a huge leap forward using a crystal with just 300 atoms suspended in space," Dr Biercuk, from the University of Sydney’s School of Physics and ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems, is quoted as having said in a university news release.
"The projected performance of this new experimental quantum simulator eclipses the current maximum capacity of any known computer by an astonishing 10 to the power of 80. That is 1 followed by 80 zeros, in other words 80 orders of magnitude, a truly mind-boggling scale."
In a video (below) uploaded to YouTube by the University of Sydney, the Aussie researcher described the system as being a one-atom thick "pancake" of 300 beryllium atoms; however, the technical systems accompanying this trapped-ion quantum simulator take up an entire room. Bieruck and his teammates have detailed their system in a letter published in the journal Nature.
"In our case, we are studying the interactions of spins in the field of quantum magnetism - a key problem that underlies new discoveries in materials science for energy, biology, and medicine.”
"For instance, we hope to study the spin interactions predicted by models for high-temperature superconductivity - a physical phenomenon that has yet to be explained, but has the potential to revolutionise power distribution and high-speed transport."
There’s one problem, though: it’s not easy to check the accuracy of calculations performed by this tiny beast using conventional computers. Bieruck sees overcoming this problem as the next big challenge for him and his team. In the meantime, you can enjoy your Ivy Bridge-powered rigs and ultrabooks.
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JohnP
April 27, 2012 at 1:18pm
Quantum computers are not even close to what we consider a computer. They only do a couple of things really well, like factoring large numbers and some traveling salesmen routing problems. THAT'S IT. Nothing else.
The truly eerie thing is that these calculations are done simultaneously through the multiverse. Each calculation is done in another instance of our universe but the results show up at the end here at OUR instance. Since there is an infinite number of instances of our universe in the multiverse, an infinite number of calculations can be done instantly if we have enough quantum bits to use. Whole 'nother world out there, literally!
PsychNerd
May 01, 2012 at 11:45pm
No not really. It is the speed at which the electrons fluctuate that make this process quick. An electron really is not a particle like most people think. It is rather a smear of probability. Like light it is both wave and particle while being really neither. Beryl atoms resist quantum entanglement and create an antiferromagnetic interaction with each atom and with the Penning trap to occur at incredible speeds because you are using electromagnetism at the quantum level. At the quantum level everything happens faster. Just look at quarks.
Felix_Ram
April 29, 2012 at 5:39am
An electron takes up any space where it can statistically be, until you determine where it is, and then; there it is.
I don't see how or why you want to put this electron behavior into multiverses. If it actually physically existed in all multiverses, why haven't we got a flux of electrons doing their thing, non existing in a parallel universe, yet still belonging to said parralel universe? Why aren't our universe flooded with electrons from the multiverse, just popping in to say hello.
Unless you define "our" universe as the template and all other universes existing as servants to ours. So only the stuff we do overflows into other physicalities and not the reverse way around.
In reality, an electron exists in the statistical pre-reality. It's math that comes before existence, and some stuff are there before they are here.
JohnP
May 01, 2012 at 6:04pm
A Mach-Zehnder interferometer by its NATURE REQUIRES a multiverse in order to work. Multiverses are not speculation but a required part of quantum mechanics.
Electrons, photons, gamma rays act more like a drop of ink on blotting paper. The "wave" is not actually a wave per se but the spreading of the particle it travels through space just like the ink blot expands over time. So if a Gamma ray comes from a GRB very far away, it is smeared across most of the earth and the surrounding space. Only when it randomly strikes something somewhere in one of the MANY MULTIVERSES does it become the gamma ray particle that is detected by our instruments in space.
PsychNerd
May 02, 2012 at 12:11am
Probability has nothing to do with multiverses. It is likely multiverses exist, but it is a matter of frequency and not amplitude. Matter vibrating at one frequency would make up the universe you are in. Another universe matter would vibrate at another frequency. You would have to fundamentally alter the subatomic frequencies of matter to vibrate at a different frequency to reveal another universe. It is more than likely that the other universes are right on top of each other, overlapping, you are walking through other universes all the time but unaware simply because we are not tuned into the correct frequencies. Space may not be space after all. We form pockets of space and matter. If you look at the universe our galaxies form like a froth of bubbles. What is between them? Matter at different frequencies? What is between atoms? Since atoms are mostly space what prevents everything from falling through everything. If you could have a carbon atom on a scale we could comprehend and the nucleus would be the size of a cherry the electrons would be the size of a grain of sand about 1/2 a mile out. If there is so much space in an atom why doesn't everything fall through everything? If you were able to take all the space out of all the atoms in the earth, all the nucli and electrons would fit into a large building like the Sears Tower. So what provides substance? The other matter in other multiverses probably. And the only thing really given any credence to this theory is the one thing that appears to be weak... gravity. It is thought gravity on the quantum and planetary scale seeps between universes in a push/pull effect. Pulling things of a similar frequency together, and pushing things of a different frequency apart. It would explain perfectly the bubble like formations created out of the galaxies in our universe, as well as why atoms have substance, and do not fall through each other. As for wave probability, its just wave probability.
blindhorizon
April 27, 2012 at 8:44am
OK, it’s great that they make these kinds of breakthroughs, but the real question is when with it become something we can buy and use? otherwise they are just wasting time and large sums of money on something that will never make money or be available.
The Second Comi...
April 27, 2012 at 5:58am
The Second Coming Chicken Pants is no quantum physicist, but did stay at a Holiday Inn express last night!
DJ_Smoke
April 27, 2012 at 12:25am
Really! 14 posts later? and i'm the only one with the question?
"The projected performance of this new experimental quantum simulator eclipses the current maximum capacity of any known computer by an astonishing 10 to the power of 80. That is 1 followed by 80 zeros, in other words 80 orders of magnitude, a truly mind-boggling scale."
My only question is... can it run crysis 3? LOL i know, i suck, lol!
PsychNerd
May 02, 2012 at 12:18am
No it will not play crysis. But every government and corporation is drooling over the possibility of calculating the largest prime number yet for mind boggling encryption that no one could break in their lifetime. 16,777,216-bit encryption anyone?
Neufeldt2002
April 26, 2012 at 7:21pm
I Like it, really exciting times ahead. I can only imagine that this is the same kind of excitement that people had when regular computers were first being invented.
Dartht33bagger
April 26, 2012 at 7:07pm
This doesn't really excite me at all. Our computers now are already crazy fast enough
AntonioGarrison
April 26, 2012 at 6:05pm
Can't wait for this to be in my next Android phone. All I need is a quadrupamili core processor.
