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Several Quantum Calculations Combined At NIST

Al writes "Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated a crucial step toward building a practical quantum computer: multiple computing operations on quantum bits. The NIST team performed five quantum logic operations and 10 transport operations (meaning they moved the qubit from one part of the system to another) in series, while reliably maintaining the states of their ions — a tricky task because the ions can easily be knocked out of their prepared state. The researchers used beryllium ions stored within so-called ion traps and added magnesium ions to keep the beryllium ones cool and prevent them from losing their quantum state." In related news, another reader links to an Australian study indicating that quantum computers "can continue to work perfectly even if half their components, or qubits, are missing."

8 of 91 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This may be slightly off-topic, but by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They are computers that leap from datacenter to datacenter, solving previously unsolvable problems, and hoping each time that the next leap will be the leap home.

  2. Take cover! by SEWilco · · Score: 3, Funny

    Release the cat jokes!

  3. Re:Begs the Question by Eternauta3k · · Score: 2, Funny
    Even better:
    • Remove half of the components
    • You still have a working computer
    • Repeat

    </misinterpreting the summary for fun and profit>

    --
    Yeah. Would you choose a neurosurgeon who pokes around people's brains in his spare time? I wouldn't.
  4. Re:works with half their components missing by dmartine40 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hmph! It'd just be a bunch of Schrodinger's cats taped together!

  5. Oblig. Bad Car Analogy by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...quantum computers "can continue to work perfectly even if half their components, or qubits, are missing."

    Based on the number of spare parts I end up with after every time I tinker with it, so can my car.

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    Have gnu, will travel.
  6. Re:Entangled Backups by PieSquared · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, no, no. That's an off-site *mirror*, not a backup. Just... hyperdimensional RAID 1.

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    Does a line appended to your comment give your post meaning in and of itself, or only in relation to those without?
  7. Re:Entangled Backups by Clever7Devil · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Hyperdimensional RAID 1" Sounds like a Dalek Universal Domination plan. "EXTerminate!"

    --
    "By the time they had diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect 'Hungry.'" -Gary Larson
  8. Re:This may be slightly off-topic, but by smallfries · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ziggy computes a 98.3% chance that is the correct definition for Quantum Computing.

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