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NSA and Army On Quest For Quantum Physics Jackpot

Posted by Soulskill on from the you-can-win-but-only-if-you-don't-know-the-prize dept.

coondoggie sends this excerpt from NetworkWorld: "The US Army Research Office and the National Security Agency (NSA) are together looking for some answers to their quantum physics questions. ... The Army said quantum algorithms that are developed should focus on constructive solutions [PDF] for specific tasks, and on general methodologies for expressing and analyzing algorithms tailored to specific problems — though they didn't say what those specific tasks were ... 'Investigators should presuppose the existence of a fully functional quantum computer and consider what algorithmic tasks are particularly well suited to such a machine. A necessary component of this research will be to compare the efficiency of the quantum algorithm to the best existing classical algorithm for the same problem.'"

10 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. This just in... by sfazzio · · Score: 5, Insightful

    NSA and Army wants quantum computations researchers to do exactly what they have been doing for the last 15 years.

  2. Re:What's the point.. by Fluffeh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why must people with no idea on a particular subject always be in charge of the budgets around a particular subject?

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    Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
  3. Reminds me of an old joke by FlyingBishop · · Score: 5, Funny

    A chemist, a physicist and a mathematician are stranded on a desert island, and all they have is a can of beans. They need to open the can so that they can eat, so they each in turn set about devising a method to open the can.

    The chemist comes up with a method that involves making seawater acidic enough to get the top off (while neutralizing the acid with some basic coconut juice from a nearby tree.)

    The physicist comes up with a complicated rock apparatus to basically smash open the can.

    The mathematician scratches his head, and walks around the beach for a while considering the problem. Finally, he comes and sits down next to his fellow castaways and says, "Assume a can opener..."

  4. So... by FlyByPC · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Investigators should presuppose the existence of a fully functional quantum computer," huh?

    Does anyone else here read this as "NSA has a nifty, shiny new toy and are looking for ways to use it" ...?

    --
    Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
    1. Re:So... by forkazoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Investigators should presuppose the existence of a fully functional quantum computer," huh?

      Does anyone else here read this as "NSA has a nifty, shiny new toy and are looking for ways to use it" ...?

      I'm sure a lot of people read it that way. Personally, I read it as, "We know a quantum computer will be practical in the near future, and when that happens we want to be able to hit the ground running while everybody else says 'we has a nifty, shiny new toy and are looking for ways to use it.'"

    2. Re:So... by shawb · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Alternatively, they may be trying to convince the world that they DO have a quantum computer.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
    3. Re:So... by moosesocks · · Score: 4, Funny

      Alternatively, they may be trying to convince the world that they MAY have a quantum computer.

      Fixed that for you. When it comes to Quantum, you can never be too certain.

      --
      -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
  5. Re:What's the point.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Because people who do understand subjects like this usually have a hard time deciding their budget shouldn't be unlimited.

    I know, because I happen to be one of those people. I'm just saying I can see how it might be seen as a conflict of interest to expect people to limit their own budgets (when those budgets).

  6. Re:What's the point.. by Fluffeh · · Score: 3, Funny

    I like your thinking. I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

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    Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
  7. One day at the NSA by EEPROMS · · Score: 4, Funny

    Jim "well it is this new quantum encryption software, everytime I open a new subject the encrypted output window is already full of encrypted text and I havent even typed anything.
    IT Support "ah yes that is normal, it is a side effect of quantum state data transfer, you know, it arrives before it leaves etc, just ignore it"
    Jim "out of curriosity has anyone ever tried decrypting the text before they have actually written the message"
    IT Support "God no, dont ever do that, laws of time and space become screwed up, the last guy who tried that vanished with a sucking noise and was replaced by a plush cookie monster toy"