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1 Molecule Computes Thousands of Times Faster Than a PC

Posted by timothy on from the but-only-for-certain-tasks dept.

alexhiggins732 writes with this tantalizing PopSci snippet: "A demo of a quantum calculation carried out by Japanese researchers has yielded some pretty mind-blowing results: a single molecule can perform a complex calculation thousands of times faster than a conventional computer. A proof-of-principle test run of a discrete Fourier transform — a common calculation using spectral analysis and data compression, among other things — performed with a single iodine molecule transpired very well, putting all the molecules in your PC to shame."

12 of 246 comments (clear)

  1. Need more computing power? by Luke+has+no+name · · Score: 4, Funny

    Add more table salt.

  2. Let me be the first to say it by Traf-O-Data-Hater · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...one molecule ought to be enough for anybody!

  3. sorry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Just imagine a beowulf cluster of these. (ducks)

  4. premature nerdgasm by __aatirs3925 · · Score: 1, Funny

    i accidentally the whole cup

  5. The need for speed by Wowsers · · Score: 4, Funny

    A one molecule computer faster than a PC. I find that hard to believe. My Asus Netbook is powered by one "atom", and it's still dog slow.

    --
    Take Nobody's Word For It.
  6. Re:This could be the breakthrough... by tagno25 · · Score: 4, Funny

    So we can make improbability machines and then in 10 years an infinite improbability drive?

  7. Re:Computronium. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's so bright, it's almost nuclear...

  8. Re:This could be the breakthrough... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Probably.

  9. Re:To understand the implications of Quantum Compu by daveime · · Score: 1, Funny

    Unless your Microsoft(tm) white noise generator generates the key 00000000.......

     

  10. Re:Finally! by sabernet · · Score: 3, Funny

    It would be like a whole fraction of a millimeter across! Careful! You'll step on the datacenter!

  11. Re:This could be the breakthrough... by grcumb · · Score: 4, Funny

    So we can make improbability machines and then in 10 years an infinite improbability drive?

    Magic 8 Ball sez: UNCERTAIN

    --
    Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
  12. Re:Computronium. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    s/va/man/