In class, we discussed the Computability capabilities of modern computers. Although they are exponentially more efficient than their 40-year old counterparts, computers still struggle what can be computable. One way to approach this issue is to improve the amount of steps that an algorithm takes to sort or search through a list. For example, a linear search requires an n amount of steps to achieve while a binary search requires a log2n steps. With lists containing thousands of elements, binary search makes the difference between ten steps to thousands of steps for linear search. Apart from the efficiency of an algorithm, there is also another component that saves time and money: circuits. Seven decades ago, computers consisted of moving parts, such as vacuum tubes, to calculate mathematical functions. It all changed once transistors were used to compute. Unlike physical components that turn on and off, transistors are small, efficient, and do not generate as much heat. Compared to the 1980’s, a problem that required months to solve is now solvable in minutes. This revolutionary discovery sparked the birth of the Digital Age. This is an improvement, but is there an even faster method of computing? With  the help of physicist and their knowledge of Quantum Mechanics, computers can work at unbelievable speeds using Quantum Computing.

In Quantum Computing (closely linked to quantum mechanics), quantum bits (or ‘qubits’) can simultaneously hold values of 1, 0, or both, rather than being set to 1 or 0 as traditional electronic bits are. This way, one qubits can hold the same information as 3 bits. As good as it sounds, quantum computing is still in its infancy since Quantum Computers are large machines that are somewhat unreliable and not yet very powerful. Regardless of the current struggles for these computers, large technology companies, such as Google and Nasa, are experimenting and building the first quantum computers. For example, Google strives for the future of computing and proclaims that their “D-Wave 2X quantum computing machine has been figuring out algorithms at 100,000,000 times the speed that a traditional computer chip can”. Although the product is not available to the public, such efforts are a great step forward for the future of computing.

So, if Quantum Computers are still in their infancy, then why should we care so much about them? In the best scenario, they have the potential to blow right through obstacles that limit the power of classical computers, solving problems in seconds that would take a classical computer the entire life of the Universe just to attempt to solve, like encryption, optimization, and other similar tasks. They are powerful, but things can go wrong if they are used for unethical reason such as online theft and security breaching. In the Digital Age, it is crucial to promote the application of Quantum Computers along with their ethical implications. Without the proper education, Quantum Computing can be a step forward for scientific research or a step backwards for the world economy.