Lynn Thoman

He's working to take quantum computing out of the lab and actually make it work in the real world, where it can be used to potentially design new drugs, create new materials, protect data, power AI, and even potentially give us a new reality.

If you've ever wondered about quantum computing and what it means for the future, Andrew can explain it.

Welcome, Andrew, and thanks so much for joining Three Takeaways today.

Thanks so much for having me here.

It is my pleasure.

When people hear quantum physics, they often imagine something mystical or sci-fi.

What is it actually in plain English?

And these strange quantum rules are rules that govern the universe at the smallest of scales.

And what was the first quantum result that made scientists themselves say, wait, that can't be right?

And that instantaneous linkage between particles can be across vast distances, even across galaxies.

What are the other key pieces?

So quantum allows many different possibilities at once.

The famous case of Schrodinger's cat being both potentially alive and dead at the same time.

So how does this quantum rule that things can be in multiple states at once until they're observed help to create incredibly powerful computers?

So interesting.

And Andrew, you're not just studying these strange behaviors, you're using them to build computers.

What makes these weird quantum computers so powerful?

You've said that quantum computers don't just work faster, they work differently.

Can you explain a little more about what that actually means?

Some exciting potential ideas are using quantum computers to discover new drugs or new materials or more efficient ways to create energy.