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IBM Tech Detects & Changes Spin of Single Electron

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the i-got-hundreds-of-those-things dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Looks like we have another step forward in Quantum Computing - IBM has discovered how to detect and change the spin of a single electron. Won't be long before we're all solving impossible encryption problems. "

24 of 334 comments (clear)

  1. Misread this... by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 5, Funny

    IBM Detects and Changes Spin of Single Election.

    Damn you Taco, and your politics section, it's corrupted my mind!

    1. Re:Misread this... by geoffspear · · Score: 4, Funny

      I thought it said "erection". Damn you, spam!

      --
      Don't blame me; I'm never given mod points.
  2. Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... are they certain?

    1. Re:Well by apikoros · · Score: 4, Funny

      Only Heisenburg knows for sure!

  3. Politicians everywhere are terrified! by CFD339 · · Score: 5, Funny

    If spin can be measured in a meaningful way, the entire future of politics is suddenly up for grabs. Imagine a "spin detector" built into the home television!

    Wow. "You spin me right round, baby right round, like a record baby, right round, round round...."

    --
    The problem with quotes on the internet, is that nobody bothers to check their veracity. -- Abraham Lincoln
    1. Re:Politicians everywhere are terrified! by savagedome · · Score: 4, Funny

      "You spin me right round, baby right round, like a record baby, right round, round round...."

      I HATE YOU. This is stuck in my head for the rest of the day now. DAMN YOU

      --


      Free XBox, PS2
  4. So is IBM by kensai · · Score: 3, Funny

    the new spin doctors? j/k

    1. Re:So is IBM by twiddlingbits · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nope. SCO still owns that title and will for a VERY long time. It's just that now IBM can measure the spin and quantify it with a number.

  5. I'm uncertain about the article. by glrotate · · Score: 4, Funny

    How can we know it's so?

  6. Interesting.. by Marco_polo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Electron 1: Oh my god! they've found us! what can we do? we are doomed!

    Electron 2: Oh stop being so negative

    --
    I am the lord of the pun. Dance Knave!
    1. Re:Interesting.. by Colonel+Cholling · · Score: 5, Funny

      One atom says to another, "I think I lost an electron."

      The second atom says, "Are you sure?"

      The first atom says, "Yes, I'm positive."

      --

      I am Sartre of the Borg. Existence is futile.
    2. Re:Interesting.. by big_gibbon · · Score: 3, Funny

      A neutron walks into a bar and orders a pint. He takes out his wallet and asks "how much will that be?"

      To which the barman of course replies "to you, no charge!"

      Thankyou, here all week, veal, etc etc . . .

      P

  7. This could lead to incredibly high storage density by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    But they will have to dramatically increase the seek time of cats before this tech will be usable as a hard drive replacement.

  8. NO FAIR! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You changed the outcome by measuring it!

  9. What's next? by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 5, Funny

    Overspinning electrons to overclock systems?

  10. No by missing000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm quite sure the cat knows as well.

    1. Re:No by martinX · · Score: 4, Funny

      The cat's dead. Maybe.

      --
      When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."
    2. Re:No by Your+Pal+Dave · · Score: 3, Funny

      Of course it's dead. It's been in that box for almost 80 years!

  11. You keep using that word by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 4, Funny
    Won't be long before we're all solving impossible encryption problems.

    Were he still alive, Andre the Giant would have something to say about this sentence.

    --

    Obliteracy: Words with explosions

  12. Tell me when.. by Antti+Luode · · Score: 3, Funny

    They can change the spin on OReilly factor..

  13. But... by nightsweat · · Score: 3, Funny

    They don't know exactly where they did this.

    --

    the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
  14. Won't be long? by ThatsNotFunny · · Score: 4, Funny

    Won't be long before we're all solving impossible encryption problems.

    Who's this "we"? I still can't get my VCR to stop blinking 12:00...

    --
    "Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine No Posessions?'" -- Elvis Costello
  15. I'll help you get it out by rumblin'rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny
    Ready? Sing after me...

    Green acres is the place to be
    Farm living is the life for me
    Land spreading out so far and wide
    Forget Manhatten, just give me that country side

    No need to thank me.

  16. Heisenberg gets stopped... by schon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Heisenberg is driving his car, when he gets pulled over by a cop. The cop asks him "Do you know how fast you were going?"

    To which Heisenberg replies "No, but I know where I am!"