Amit Katwala

It's not just a faster version of our current computers. It's a fundamentally different device that basically takes advantage of some weird properties of quantum physics to do things that current computers can't do. So instead of using bits, which are ones and zeros, like a normal computer, a quantum computer uses what are called qubits.

So these can be one, zero, or somewhere in between, a state called superposition. Now that's quite complicated. I like to think of it in terms of flipping a coin. So if a normal computer could be heads or tails, a quantum computer can be heads, tails, or also a spinning coin where you don't know quite where it's going to land.

So these can be one, zero, or somewhere in between, a state called superposition. Now that's quite complicated. I like to think of it in terms of flipping a coin. So if a normal computer could be heads or tails, a quantum computer can be heads, tails, or also a spinning coin where you don't know quite where it's going to land.

It means it's going to be much better at simulating the natural world, which also follows those rules, right? The natural world does not follow the rules of ones and zeros. It follows these kind of quantum rules. physics rules.

It means it's going to be much better at simulating the natural world, which also follows those rules, right? The natural world does not follow the rules of ones and zeros. It follows these kind of quantum rules. physics rules.

So if we can build a computer that simulates those quantum physics rules, then we're going to be much better at simulating biology, chemistry, physics, you know, designing new medicines, finding materials for better batteries, things like that.

So if we can build a computer that simulates those quantum physics rules, then we're going to be much better at simulating biology, chemistry, physics, you know, designing new medicines, finding materials for better batteries, things like that.

So Microsoft have been trying to do this for almost 20 years, and they've really embarked on a very different approach to the other companies in the field that are doing this, you know, Google, Amazon, etc, IBM. And this was really like a kind of Hail Mary play.

So Microsoft have been trying to do this for almost 20 years, and they've really embarked on a very different approach to the other companies in the field that are doing this, you know, Google, Amazon, etc, IBM. And this was really like a kind of Hail Mary play.

Like when they started doing this, it was really like, no one was really sure if it would actually work or not, if it was even a real thing. So some experts are sceptical as to whether the claims that Microsoft have made are actually going to come to fruition. But certainly they've made a big splash.

Like when they started doing this, it was really like, no one was really sure if it would actually work or not, if it was even a real thing. So some experts are sceptical as to whether the claims that Microsoft have made are actually going to come to fruition. But certainly they've made a big splash.