University of Kwazulu-Natal

Quantum Breakthrough Brings Superfast Computers Closer To Reality

Bonisiwe Shabane
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quantum breakthrough brings superfast computers closer to reality

Comparison of zero-level distillation (right) and logical-level distillation (left). Credit: PRX Quantum (2025). DOI: 10.1103/thxx-njr6 For decades, the idea of quantum computing has sat tantalizingly on the horizon—promising a future where calculations that might take today’s supercomputers centuries could be solved in seconds. It’s a vision powered not by science fiction, but by the eerie principles of quantum mechanics: particles that can exist in multiple states at once, and become mysteriously linked across space. But there’s always been a catch.

Quantum computers are notoriously fragile. A whisper of heat, a stray photon, even cosmic background noise can throw them into chaos. Now, researchers at the University of Osaka may have solved one of the thorniest obstacles on the road to practical quantum machines—with a little bit of what they call “magic.” Published in PRX Quantum, the study introduces a new, radically efficient technique for preparing “magic states”—a foundational requirement for error-resistant quantum computation. Their approach could slash resource demands by dozens of times, removing a major bottleneck in building scalable, fault-tolerant quantum systems. It’s a quiet revolution, and it might just reshape the future of computation.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we’re suddenly living in the quantum era. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: Spend an afternoon reading about quantum computing, and it won’t take long until you stumble across the term “quantum supremacy.” While this is quite a lofty-sounding boast, the idea is relatively simple: If a...

Google first tried to claim the supremacy crown back in 2019, and researchers in China argued the same a year later. But in both cases, experts weren’t so sure if true supremacy had been achieved. In Google’s case, its Sycamore quantum computer completed a task in three minutes and 20 seconds that the company said would take a classical computer 10,000 years to complete. Scientists have vastly reduced the temperatures and conditions needed to grow special diamonds for computing, making faster and more efficient computing chips a more realistic proposition. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Scientists have inched closer to integrating diamonds into silicon-based computer chips, after lowering the temperatures needed to grow them in the lab and melding the process with quantum mechanics. Diamonds are highly desirable for use in electronics. That's because their specific crystal lattice structure lets them withstand high electrical voltages, while they can also dissipate heat incredibly well because they are not electrically conductive. But to be made in the lab, diamonds also require extremely high temperatures — well beyond the heat computer chips can withstand as they are being manufactured — so they cannot easily be integrated... Reducing heat, meanwhile, sacrifices the diamond quality. In a study published Sept.

13 in the journal Diamond and Related Materials, scientists found a way to reduce the heat needed to grow diamonds enough so they can now be incorporated into the standard silicon manufacturing process. The breakthrough means faster and more energy-efficient diamond-based computer chips are a much more realistic proposition. Quantum computers promise to deliver a huge increase in processing power over conventional computers by using a single electron or nucleus of an atom as the basic processing unit. Researchers from Australia's University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, and the University of Melbourne have achieved a breakthrough that brings the prospect of a network of ultra-powerful quantum computers, connected via... The team has detected the spin, or quantum state, of a single atom using a combined optical and electrical approach. This was achieved with a single atom of erbium – a rare earth element commonly used in communications – embedded in silicon.

The team used an ion implanter to shoot erbium atoms into a standard industrial silicon transistor. When the atom was in a particular quantum state and laser light was shone on it, an electron was knocked off the atom. This was detected electrically, by the silicon transistor switching on. 00:01:19 transfer of continue information between transistors Ultimate this for your late formation over land distances to use of Optical Communications last The networking of Con processors This is the first step to watch... A custom chip called "Willow" does in minutes what it would take leading supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete, according to Google Quantum AI founder Hartmut Neven. "Written out, there is a 1 with 25 zeros," Neven said of the time span while briefing journalists.

"A mind-boggling number." Neven's team of about 300 people at Google is on a mission to build quantum computing capable of handling otherwise unsolvable problems like safe fusion power and stopping climate change. "We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design and more," said Google CEO Sundar... A quantum computer that can tackle these challenges is still years away, but Willow marks a significant step in that direction, according to Neven and members of his team. The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.

Breakthrough brings quantum computing closer to large-scale practical use From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important... At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum.

And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Professor, Quantum Nanosystems, UNSW Sydney Andrea Morello receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Defence, and the US Army Research Office. UNSW Sydney provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. Quantum entanglement — once dismissed by Albert Einstein as “spooky action at a distance” — has long captured the public imagination and puzzled even seasoned scientists.

But for today’s quantum practitioners, the reality is rather more mundane: entanglement is a kind of connection between particles that is the quintessential feature of quantum computers. NEW YORK, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Google on Monday unveiled a new quantum computer that may end this back-and-forth race with traditional machines and that points to a future in which quantum computers could drive advances in... Google said its quantum computer, based on a computer chip called Willow, needs less than five minutes to perform a mathematical calculation that one of the world's most powerful supercomputers could not complete in... "Quantum computing -- the result of decades of research into a type of physics called quantum mechanics -- is still an experimental technology," noted the report. "But Google's achievement shows that scientists are steadily improving techniques that could allow quantum computing to live up to the enormous expectations that have surrounded this big idea for decades."

Many other tech giants, including Microsoft, Intel and IBM, are building similar technology as the United States jockeys for supremacy in this increasingly important field. The mathematical calculation performed by Google's machine was a test designed solely to gauge the progress of quantum computing, it added. ■ Algorithm performed task beyond capability of classical computers, although experts say real-world application still years away Google has claimed a breakthrough in quantum computing after developing an algorithm that performed a task beyond the capabilities of conventional computers. The algorithm, a set of instructions guiding the operation of a quantum computer, was able to compute the structure of a molecule – which paves the way for major discoveries in areas such as...

Google acknowledged, however, that real-world use of quantum computers remained years away. “This is the first time in history that any quantum computer has successfully run a verifiable algorithm that surpasses the ability of supercomputers,” Google said in a blogpost. “This repeatable, beyond-classical computation is the basis for scalable verification, bringing quantum computers closer to becoming tools for practical applications.”

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Comparison Of Zero-level Distillation (right) And Logical-level Distillation (left). Credit:

Comparison of zero-level distillation (right) and logical-level distillation (left). Credit: PRX Quantum (2025). DOI: 10.1103/thxx-njr6 For decades, the idea of quantum computing has sat tantalizingly on the horizon—promising a future where calculations that might take today’s supercomputers centuries could be solved in seconds. It’s a vision powered not by science fiction, but by the eerie princi...

Quantum Computers Are Notoriously Fragile. A Whisper Of Heat, A

Quantum computers are notoriously fragile. A whisper of heat, a stray photon, even cosmic background noise can throw them into chaos. Now, researchers at the University of Osaka may have solved one of the thorniest obstacles on the road to practical quantum machines—with a little bit of what they call “magic.” Published in PRX Quantum, the study introduces a new, radically efficient technique for ...

Unfortunately, That Doesn’t Mean We’re Suddenly Living In The Quantum

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we’re suddenly living in the quantum era. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: Spend an afternoon reading about quantum computing, and it won’t take long until you stumble across the term “quantum supremacy.” While this is quite a lofty-s...

Google First Tried To Claim The Supremacy Crown Back In

Google first tried to claim the supremacy crown back in 2019, and researchers in China argued the same a year later. But in both cases, experts weren’t so sure if true supremacy had been achieved. In Google’s case, its Sycamore quantum computer completed a task in three minutes and 20 seconds that the company said would take a classical computer 10,000 years to complete. Scientists have vastly red...

Scientists Have Inched Closer To Integrating Diamonds Into Silicon-based Computer

Scientists have inched closer to integrating diamonds into silicon-based computer chips, after lowering the temperatures needed to grow them in the lab and melding the process with quantum mechanics. Diamonds are highly desirable for use in electronics. That's because their specific crystal lattice structure lets them withstand high electrical voltages, while they can also dissipate heat incredibl...