The Complexity Remedy: The Quantum Computer

In a previous post, we talked about how computers could change our world. And while those circuit boards may be powerful, there is now a new player in town with even more potential: The Quantum Computer.

The Latest Quantum Computer -- Image Credit: The New York Times

Science background first. Normal computers are built using an element called a transistor which is made up of many atoms. The transistor is a switch that can either let electricity flow (symbolized by "1") or stop/impede flow (or "0"). This is where the 0101001 code comes from and each number in the sequence is called a "bit." As a result, a regular computer is restricted to either answering with yes or no, 1 or 0.

A quantum computer, on the other hand, computes on individual atoms, which is mind-blowingly impressive. In fact, all of these atoms are synced together so that they spin together in unison. This phenomenon known as entanglement.

Here is the crazy part. When you affect one of these specially synced atoms, all the other atoms react too even though the atoms are not physically connected to each other! In other words, imagine you have ten tables and a spinning top on each one. If you were to stop one top, and spin it the other direction, the other tops would stop and reverse spin too.

Each top spins at a certain speed and direction, and that exact speed or direction correlates into a number between 0 and 1. Its not a complete yes nor a complete no. As a result, a quantum computer uses "qubits" which are those numbers in between 0 and 1. Because of this, quantum computers can compute exponentially more than regular computers.

If you ask a normal computer to solve a maze, it will try out each route one by one until it finds the solution. By comparison, a quantum computer can try all of the routes at the same time. That is why they are so much faster at complex problems.

The graph below summarizes the race between regular and quantum computers. Even though regular computers have at least 40 years of a head start, the quantum computer is surpassing them rapidly. This is why Google and NASA recently purchased a 512 qubit one.

Quantum Computers Overcoming Regular Computers in 2014 -- Image Credit: 33rdsquare.com

Why does this matter? If price performance of quantum computing grows even faster than regular computers, we can discover and design much more:

Drug Discovery -- Imagine a computer that can simulate potential medications and their complex interactions in the body without having to test it in rats or humans. We could "test" drugs without even going the expensive process of creating them.

Predicting Weather -- There are too many variables that affect the weather, which is exactly where quantum computers excel. Imagine predicting hurricanes and tornados a week in advance.

Emotional Intelligence -- Love, hate, and everything in between is outright complicated. But what if you could simulate all the complexities of the human brain? We could understand what depression actually is on a physical level and develop more effective cures.

© Nicholas Shah and Learning More Than Living, 2013. Please note that the material included this was not written by a licensed medical professional. Therefore, please consult your physician before trying anything suggested in this article. Please note that there was an image used from 33rdsquare.com. Nicholas Shah does not claim ownership to the ideas put forth here. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas Shah and Learning More Than Living with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Thank You.