The Coming Quantum Boom A Century After Quantum Mechanics Was

A not-for-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.© Copyright 2026 IEEE - All rights reserved. Use of this web site signifies your agreement to the terms and conditions. Patient OfficeTel: +41 56 310 35 21Tel: +41 56 310 35 24protonentherapie@psi.ch A century on from the birth of quantum mechanics, 2025 marks the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. We are now entering a new era, often referred to as the second quantum revolution. Today, researchers are learning not just to observe quantum effects, but to actively control them.

This opens up entirely new possibilities in computing, communication, sensing, and materials science. What does the future hold? Our experts share their opinions. Gabriel Aeppli, Head of the PSI Center for Photon Sciences “The second quantum revolution is bringing transformative capabilities in sensing, timekeeping, communications, and computing. These will affect both the lives of ordinary citizens – for example, by enabling a secure communications channel to their bank – as well as transform scientific measurement and analysis: here at PSI, we...

In this way, the second quantum revolution is bringing technological and scientific advances as profound as the first, and PSI is deploying its engineering skills and large facilities to both exploit and advance this... Alexander Grimm, Head of the Bosonic Quantum Information Group The 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology event in Paris, organized by IEEE Spectrum’s Editor-in-Chief Harry Goldstein, marked the centennial celebration of foundational quantum papers. Unlike nanotechnology, which is integrated into existing sectors, quantum engineering has emerged as a distinct industry. Companies such as Xanadu, IonQ, IBM, and Welinq are advancing quantum computing to solve complex problems, while Quantum Catalyzer is developing sensors for extreme environments. These technologies require specialized fabrication facilities and skilled professionals with expertise in quantum mechanics.

Quantum engineering is poised to revolutionize technology by tackling impossible challenges with classical physics. This emerging field diverges significantly from traditional areas like nanotechnology, relying on distinct mathematical principles and phenomena. Companies such as Xanadu, IonQ, IBM, and Welinq are at the forefront of advancing modular quantum computing solutions, addressing complex problems in cryptography and extreme environment sensing. Applications extend beyond computing, including quantum sensors that exploit diamond defects for detecting magnetic fields, temperature, pressure, and gravity. Startups like Quantum Catalyzer are driving innovation in this space, promising transformative advancements across various industries. However, the fabrication of these technologies demands meticulous control over environmental factors such as temperature, vibration, and electromagnetic interference.

As funding grows and applications expand, the demand for skilled professionals with expertise in quantum mechanics, error correction, and system integration intensifies. This surge is fueled by both academic research and private sector investment, underscoring the industry’s promising future. July 13, 20252025 marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and the 100th anniversary of the initial development of quantum mechanics. Quantum technology (QT) is moving beyond the lab and gaining momentum by converging with other innovation frontiers. In McKinsey’s fourth annual Quantum Technology Monitor, McKinsey’s Henning Soller and coauthors explore how QT is evolving through four high-impact domains: These intersections offer not only individual breakthroughs but also powerful synergies with the potential to redefine performance, resilience, and speed across industries.

Read the full report, then discover more insights from McKinsey’s The Rise of Quantum Computing page to explore how quantum is reshaping innovation—and what it means for your business. The Year of Quantum: From concept to reality in 2025 Quantum sensing’s untapped potential: Insights for leaders Steady progress in approaching the quantum advantage Nature Computational Science volume 5, pages 1120–1132 (2025)Cite this article As quantum mechanics marks its centennial in 2025, machine learning interatomic potentials have emerged as transformative tools in molecular modeling, bridging quantum mechanical accuracy with classical efficiency.

Here we examine their development through four defining challenges—achieving chemical accuracy, maintaining computational efficiency, ensuring interpretability and reaching universal generalizability. We highlight architectural innovations, physics-informed approaches, and foundation models trained on extensive data. Together, these developments chart a path toward predictive, transferable and physically grounded machine learning frameworks for next-generation computational chemistry. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

5 physicists discuss the future of quantum research and technology Beginning in 1925, Werner Heisenberg and other physicists laid the foundation of quantum mechanics. One hundred years ago on a quiet, rocky island, German physicist Werner Heisenberg helped set in motion a series of scientific developments that would touch nearly all of physics. There, Heisenberg developed the framework of quantum mechanics. At the time, quantum theory was just a loose collection of ideas about the quirks of physics on the scale of atoms. In June 1925, the 23-year-old Heisenberg cloistered himself on the island of Helgoland, in search of relief from a nasty attack of hay fever.

With pollen scant in the sea breezes, the island, 60 kilometers off the coast of Germany, was a healing refuge. It also happened to be a distraction-free place to ponder the mysteries of atoms. We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

People Also Search

• The Coming Quantum Boom: A Century After Quantum Mechanics Was ...
• The quantum boom is coming, and a century of work led here - MSN
• The Coming Quantum Boom: A New Industry a Century in the Making
• The Quantum Revolution: What's Next? | News & Events | PSI
• The Coming Quantum Boom Says IEEE's Harry Goldstein
• Celebrating a century of quantum breakthroughs - McKinsey & Company
• Machine learning interatomic potentials at the centennial ... - Nature
• The Quantum Era has Already Begun - TIME
• As quantum mechanics turns 100, a new revolution is under way