Quantum Frontiers: Quantum Estuary

A conference talk served as a polished shell, reflecting light almost as a mirror. The talk centered on erasure, a process that unites thermodynamics with information processing: Imagine performing computations in math class. You need blank paper (or the neurological equivalent) on which to scribble. Upon computing a great deal, you have to erase the paper—to reset it to a clean state. Erasing calls for rubbing an eraser across the paper and so for expending energy. This conclusion extends beyond math class and paper: To compute—or otherwise process information—for a long time, we have to erase information-storage systems and so to expend energy. This conclusion renders erasure sacred to us thermodynamicists who study information processing. Erasure litters our papers, conferences, and conversations.

Testing Quantum Theory, Artificially

Testing Quantum Theory, Artificially Which is the perfect quantum theory? Excerpts and salient points ~ +  [A] research team at the Technical University of Munich and at Harvard University has successfully employed machine learning: The researchers trained an artificial neural network to distinguish between two competing theories. “Similar to the detection of cats or dogs […]

Improved Quantum Particle Simulations

As studies involving quantum systems are discovering, the environment the systems reside in has substantial impact on particle behavior. Research teams at the University of St. Andrews have reported a new method to simulate quantum computing environments more accurately “even on a regular laptop.” With more complex systems envisioned to produce high-powered quantum computers, better simulations of quantum “many particle” interactions are needed. 

Quantum Many-Body Scars

Using precision laser instrumentation, recent work by Harvard and MIT discovered atom chains oscillating beyond reasonable expectations.