When two good things get together, they can create something even better.
That’s the case with quantum information—the marriage of quantum physics and computing theory. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has contributed to much of its history and is helping to shape its future.
“We have been there from the beginning,” says NIST physicist Carl Williams, who has directed much of the agency’s efforts in this field since the early 2000s. “We can now see quantum information moving from a purely scientific field to a technological one.”
In the not-too-distant future, a quantum version of a traditional computer could perform sophisticated simulations that could lead to new drugs and high-tech materials. In the longer term, a more powerful quantum computer, if it can be built, could quickly break the digital security that currently protects online banking and shopping.
Read more at NIST
