POPSCI.COM.AU 53
Ground Control
Not all work happens in the cooler.
A network analyser (foreground)
ensures that the microwave cabling
needed to transmit signals is working
properly. The tall grey cabinet directly
behind it manages the refrigeration
pumps and valves.Shhhh
It’s quiet inside the fridge. Any static
can incite computing errors, so
scientists must protect the qubits. A
one-way valve, called a circulator (the
four rectangles seen midframe, oppo-
site page), filters out interference,
such as ambient lab noise.