How It Works - UK (2020-02)

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Create personalised medicines

Developing medicine is a long process. You can spend a lot

of time and money just trying to find a molecule that can

fight a disease. But with a quantum computer you could

simulate complex drug designs in a matter of hours. This

technology could even tailor treatments to a patient’s DNA,

making them more effective and reducing side effects. As

each one would be unique, it’d also be much harder for

viruses and bacteria to develop drug resistance.

Find Earth 2.0

NASA believes a quantum computer combined with machine

learning could process data collected by space telescopes

much more efficiently, helping us find habitable planets.

What’s more, it could even help plan missions. By simulating

the many challenges a robotic rover might face on a distant

world – like when and where best to recharge their solar

batteries – these probes could be better programmed to

overcome them.

Combat climate change

Predicting the weather is hard because there are so many

environmental variables, such as temperature, humidity and

wind conditions. Beyond not having an umbrella on hand,

faulty forecasts can cause travel chaos for airlines and affect

farmers’ crops. With a quantum computer, scientists could

predict near-term weather patterns perfectly. And they could

more accurately assess the long-term effects of climate

change before they happen.

Design new materials

Back in 2016 – and working with just two qubits –

Google engineers simulated a hydrogen molecule for the

first time. Since then IBM has managed to model even

more complex molecules. Just as this process might be used

to design drugs, it could also make new chemicals and

materials. This could include longer-lasting batteries, more

efficient fertilisers for growing crops and even plastics that

are biodegradable.

End traffic jams

As the world’s cities grow bigger and smart cars start to

drive themselves, better navigation is going to be needed. As

quantum computers can perform multiple calculations at

once, they’re very good at so-called ‘optimisation problems’,

or finding the best way to do something. Volkswagen have

used quantum computers to help taxis find the fastest route

to an airport in Beijing and buses avoid traffic jams in

Barcelona. The process could also help speed up deliveries.

Make the internet hack-proof

While current passwords take supercomputers centuries to

crack, with a quantum computer you could do it in hours.

You could access anything: emails, bank accounts, even

state secrets. Fortunately, quantum mechanics might also

be the solution. Quantum key distribution (QKD) sends

information using photons. If you try to read these particles

in flight, they’ll lose their uncertain state – destroying the

data they’re carrying and alerting the sender.

© Getty © Getty © Getty

© NASA Source: Wiki/Benjah-bmm27 © Getty

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