Slashdot Mirror
A "Photon Machine Gun" For Quantum Computers
An anonymous reader writes "Generating entangled photons in a reliable way is impossible right now, stalling the development of the optical quantum computers that would use entangled photons as quantum bits (qubits). Because entangled photons can only be produced at random — which takes time — the most powerful optical quantum computing device use only 6 qubits. UK and Israeli quantum physicists have designed a blueprint for a 'quantum machine gun' that fires out barrages of entangled photons on demand. They think within a few years this device will be built, and could lead to quantum computing using 20 to 30 qubits. Every additional qubit doubles the computing power, so these quantum computers could outperform any existing classical computer, the researchers say. The quantum machine gun is described as 'one of the most exciting theoretical proposals I've read in five years' by a leading quantum physicist." The research was published in Physical Review Letters earlier this month.
My first thought when I read "UK and Israeli quantum physicists" was 'UK and Israeli quantum entangled physicists ' but I digress. My second thought went to the situation in the area.
I think that while off topic this isn't a bad thing. Israel is a harmful harmful force in the region. And it is sort of disconcerting that they can afford to do this type of research while simultaneously submitting their neighbors to situations where they routinely cannot afford electricity or sometimes even clean water depending on Israel's mood. While Israel's essential occupation of the middle east is not news for nerds it is stuff that matters. That said I don't think it was right to bring the topic up, just healthy to keep it in mind.
Both side's are retarded. The jewish people however invaded and conquered the region. They also massively unbalanced the region, having a military funded by the US. Their standard of living is many times better than their neighbors. And every few years THEY attack a neighboring country. And while hamas is a dick and won't acknowledge Israel, Israel too refuses to acknowledge Palestine. And since Israel first took some land they have expanded repeatedly. And though they fight against supposed terrorists they generally kill 10x as many citizens as the bad guys.
In fact in Israels last major battle they attacked a country that had a military worth probably less than 1% of theirs. They killed much more citizens than militants and spent most of their time blowing up infrastructure in the country, things like hospitals and UN buildings. The bad guys at the time provide assistance to victims and manage to kill a much better military to civilian ratio.
There is a reason the UN condemns Israel every handful of months and the US has to veto decisions made against it.
Israel is NOT a peaceful entity in the middle east.