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The Limits of Quantum Computing

Posted by kdawson on from the floor-wax-and-dessert-topping dept.

The Narrative Fallacy writes "Scott Aaronson has posted a draft of his article from this month's Scientific American on the limitations of quantum computers (PDF) discussing the question: Will quantum computers let us transcend the human condition and become as powerful as gods, or are they a physical absurdity destined to be exposed as the twenty-first century's perpetual-motion machine? Aaronson says that while a quantum computer could quickly factor large numbers, and thereby break most of the cryptographic codes used on the Internet today, there's reason to think that not even a quantum computer could solve the crucial class of NP-complete problems efficiently. Aaronson contends that any method for solving NP-complete problems in polynomial time may violate the laws of physics and that this may be a fundamental limitation on technology no different than the second law of thermodynamics or the impossibility of faster-than-light communication."

3 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well...... by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

    It can fix the NP problem.... but u cant look into the PC case or else its ruined. I blamed the dead cat I found inside.
  2. Re:Seems to me... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    there is No Such Agency that can do this yet Are you sure?
  3. Re:The last question... by z0idberg · · Score: 5, Funny

    The obvious question would then be, that if all existence is cyclical, how many times has it been reset? And, what kicked it off to begin with?

    I don't think there is sufficient data to give a meaningful answer to these questions.