The most extensive quantum computation in history took just 270 milliseconds, say quantum physicists.
Quantum computers are in danger of losing their lustre. These machines exploit the strange rules of quantum mechanics to carry out calculations that are vastly more powerful than anything that conventional computers can do.
Or so we're told. Quantum computers in one form or another have been carrying out calculations for more than a decade. But far from putting conventional computers to shame, these devices have yet to outperform the calculating abilities of a primary school child.
Ten years ago, physicists used a quantum computer to factorise the number 15 using seven quantum bits or qubits. The result received great acclaim. Last year, they beat this record by factorising the number 143 using four qubits. Hardly a meteoric improvement.
But this dismal state of affairs may be finally changing with the announcement today of a calculation involving 84 qubits carried out by Zhengbing Bian at D-Wave Systems, a quantum computer manufacturer based in Vancouver, Canada, and a few mates.
To read more, click here.