WebAssembly has come a long way from the browser; it can be used for building high-performance web applications, for serverless applications, and for many other uses. Recently, we also spotted it as a key technology used in creating and controlling a previously theoretical state of matter that could unlock reliable quantum computing for the same reasons that make it an appealing choice for cloud computing. Quantum computing uses exotic hardware (large, expensive and very, very cold) to model complex systems and problems that need more memory than the largest supercomputer: it stores information in equally exotic quantum states of matter and runs computations on it by controlling the interactions of subatomic particles.

Newswise Quantum computing uses the principles of quantum mechanics to encode and elaborate data, meaning that it could one day solve computational problems that are intractable with current computers. While the latter work with bits, which represent either a 0 or a 1, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits the fundamental units of quantum information. With applications ranging from drug discovery to optimization and simulations of complex biological systems and materials, quantum computing has the potential to reshape vast areas of science, industry, and society, says Professor Vincenzo Savona, director of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering at EPFL

This article has been reviewed according to ScienceX's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread When we listen to our favorite song, what sounds like a continuous wave of music is actually transmitted as tiny packets of quantum particles called phonons. The laws of quantum mechanics hold that quantum particles are fundamentally indivisible and therefore cannot be split, but researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago are exploring what happens when you try to split a phonon.

Theres quite a bit of ground standing between humanity and a working quantum computer, and experts are worried that Europe could be left behind as the US and China pour billions into the technology. But one startup from the small German city of Ulm believes it can help smaller players with less capital to compete against the big guns of Google and IBM, by addressing one of the key technical challenges in building a useful quantum computer. QC Design which is today coming out of stealth mode is building technology to help quantum hardware companies fast track a process known as error correction: the task of getting more qubits (the quantum equivalent of a bit a unit of information in classical computing) working together to scale up the power of these machines

Scientists in China have made a significant stride in the field of quantum computing, as they announce that their device, Jiuzhang, can perform tasks commonly utilized in artificial intelligence a staggering 180 million times faster than the worlds most powerful supercomputer.