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The Verge argues that researchers "have made genuine progress in quantum computing — it's just been largely incremental and too esoteric to immediately capture the public's imagination."
And there are predictions that quantum computers will finally do something useful as soon as 2028:
The drama can overshadow the real progress in quantum computing...
Researchers have improved the qubits themselves, so they hold onto information longer. When they hold onto information longer, you can fit in more operations and do more complicated algorithms. Last November, Andrew Houck of Princeton University and his colleagues reported that they'd made a superconducting qubit that can hold onto information three times longer than the previous record holder... And in the last two years, researchers have made substantial strides in what's known as quantum error correction... In addition, researchers have developed algorithms to correct errors while the quantum computer operates... Microsoft claimed, which experts dispute, that it made an object made of electrons known as a Majorana particle [which should make fewer errors and be easier to scale up]...
"We 100 percent stand behind our results. We stand by our roadmap," Microsoft's quantum lead, Chetan Nayak, responded in an interview with The Verge. In an email statement, he added that Microsoft's "papers do show that we are creating and controlling Majorana [particles]... Microsoft's supporting evidence is unconvincing [according to [Henry Legg, a physicist from the University of St. Andrews and a longtime Microsoft critic]Rnqyq. What it claimed as evidence of a Majorana particle, he says, could actually be due to quantum dots forming in its device. Quantum dots are electron-containing objects that are not useful for Microsoft's quantum computer. It also bases its claim on data from a single device, says Legg. He wants to see Microsoft replicate the results in multiple chips. "If you repeatedly try and find Jesus in your toast, eventually you'll find Jesus in your toast," he says. "But that one piece of toast doesn't mean you had some kind of epiphany."
"While we appreciate the religious fervor, our data maintains the strength and consistency of our roadmap, as we have for the past several years across previous milestones. We look forward to delivering the world's first quantum machine and sharing the energy of our achievements with the world," wrote Nayak in response.
Past spurious work from Microsoft-affiliated researchers adds to the doubt. In 2021, the journal Nature retracted an article from Microsoft-affiliated researchers in which they'd claimed strong experimental evidence that they'd created a Majorana particle.
"Even hopeful experts have varying opinions about when a quantum computer will demonstrate something useful," the article acknowledges.
But quantum computing lecturer Eleanor Crane of King's College London predicts
researchers will have demonstrated a useful scientific simulation on a quantum computer by 2028.
Thanks to Slashdot reader joshuark for sharing the article.
And there are predictions that quantum computers will finally do something useful as soon as 2028:
The drama can overshadow the real progress in quantum computing...
Researchers have improved the qubits themselves, so they hold onto information longer. When they hold onto information longer, you can fit in more operations and do more complicated algorithms. Last November, Andrew Houck of Princeton University and his colleagues reported that they'd made a superconducting qubit that can hold onto information three times longer than the previous record holder... And in the last two years, researchers have made substantial strides in what's known as quantum error correction... In addition, researchers have developed algorithms to correct errors while the quantum computer operates... Microsoft claimed, which experts dispute, that it made an object made of electrons known as a Majorana particle [which should make fewer errors and be easier to scale up]...
"We 100 percent stand behind our results. We stand by our roadmap," Microsoft's quantum lead, Chetan Nayak, responded in an interview with The Verge. In an email statement, he added that Microsoft's "papers do show that we are creating and controlling Majorana [particles]... Microsoft's supporting evidence is unconvincing [according to [Henry Legg, a physicist from the University of St. Andrews and a longtime Microsoft critic]Rnqyq. What it claimed as evidence of a Majorana particle, he says, could actually be due to quantum dots forming in its device. Quantum dots are electron-containing objects that are not useful for Microsoft's quantum computer. It also bases its claim on data from a single device, says Legg. He wants to see Microsoft replicate the results in multiple chips. "If you repeatedly try and find Jesus in your toast, eventually you'll find Jesus in your toast," he says. "But that one piece of toast doesn't mean you had some kind of epiphany."
"While we appreciate the religious fervor, our data maintains the strength and consistency of our roadmap, as we have for the past several years across previous milestones. We look forward to delivering the world's first quantum machine and sharing the energy of our achievements with the world," wrote Nayak in response.
Past spurious work from Microsoft-affiliated researchers adds to the doubt. In 2021, the journal Nature retracted an article from Microsoft-affiliated researchers in which they'd claimed strong experimental evidence that they'd created a Majorana particle.
"Even hopeful experts have varying opinions about when a quantum computer will demonstrate something useful," the article acknowledges.
But quantum computing lecturer Eleanor Crane of King's College London predicts
researchers will have demonstrated a useful scientific simulation on a quantum computer by 2028.
Thanks to Slashdot reader joshuark for sharing the article.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Mercedes driver holds nerve with Leclerc a close second
Russell fourth, with Norris and Piastri sixth and eighth
Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, seeing off a concerted challenge from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in second and third and his Mercedes teammate George Russell who was fourth.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri could manage only sixth and eighth for McLaren, with four-time champion Max Verstappen in seventh for Red Bull.
Continue reading...Morning Dew (Donk) reportedly conceived for Beyoncé’s second album B’Day, which will be reissued for its 20th anniversary in September
She popularised the shock drop in 2013 with the surprise release of her self-titled album. And on Saturday, Beyoncé did it again, dropping a new song out of the blue.
The singer released the new track, titled Morning Dew (Donk), on the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Reports say the track was initially intended for her second album, B’Day, released in 2006.
Continue reading...Officials rescued seven other people after a sudden storm led to a boat sinking on Geneva Lake
Three children died after a boat capsized on Wisconsin’s Geneva Lake during inclement weather on the eve of the US’s semiquincentennial celebrations, and seven other people had to be rescued by emergency responders, according to officials.
A recreational motor boat with 10 passengers, including four children, sank on Friday afternoon as the boat “attempted to navigate to safety as weather conditions deteriorated” amid an intense, sudden storm, the city of Lake Geneva police department said in a statement.
Continue reading...A decade in the making, the 1976 bicentennial had a cathartic impact on the wounded national polity
It felt like a proper jamboree – a coming together of diverse peoples who thought they had something to celebrate. But the defining moment of the 1976 bicentennial, the US’s last epic birthday celebration, came two years before.
“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over,” Gerald Ford declared in his presidential inauguration speech of 9 August 1974. “Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men.”
Continue reading...Fiji 24-39 Wales
Wales scores six tries to secure second successive Test win
A rare away win for Wales. In Cardiff maybe, but the “visitors” claimed a classic smash-and-grab victory against hosts who at times played as if they came from a different hemisphere indeed, possibly even planet. How Fiji found themselves level at the break, let alone 15 down come the end, defies analysis, but Jac Morgan is one answer, or at least the aptest representative of it.
Back on Wales’ flank now, having missed most of the season through injury, Morgan scored two tries in the first half, but his defensive work was heroic throughout. And boy it had to be.
Continue reading...⚽️ Kick-off time: 12pm local/1pm EDT/6pm BST/3am AEST
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email Scott
Morocco make one change to their starting XI from the game against the Netherlands. Redouane Halhal takes the place of Chadi Riad at centre-back. Riad picked up a knee injury in that last-32 match, but is on the bench nonetheless.
Canada captain and star man Alphonso Davies, battling back from long-term injury, starts on the bench again, having come on to good effect against South Africa. Jesse Marsch makes three changes following that last-32 victory. Luc de Fougerolles and Niko Sigur come into a five-man defence, while Norwich City’s Ali Ahmed augments the attack. Derek Cornelius, Liam Millar and Nathan Saliba step down.
Continue reading...UTRECHT (ANP) - De politie heeft ruim 270 demonstranten aangehouden die probeerden de A12 bij Utrecht te blokkeren. 21 demonstranten die met voertuigen de snelweg blokkeerden, zitten nog vast, meldt de politie. De rest is naar huis gestuurd.
De gemeente Utrecht had de demonstratie op de Ring A12 verboden. De actievoerders konden terecht op het Domplein.
SILVERSTONE (ANP) - Max Verstappen start als zevende in de Grote Prijs van Groot-Brittannië. De viervoudig wereldkampioen moest in de kwalificatie op het circuit van Silverstone veel tijd toegeven op de Mercedessen en Ferrari's. De poleposition ging naar de Italiaan Kimi Antonelli met een beste ronde van 1.28,111 in de Mercedes. De Monegask Charles Leclerc reed in de Ferrari de tweede tijd en zijn Britse teamgenoot Lewis Hamilton de derde tijd.
In de derde kwalificatiesessie gaf de 28-jarige Nederlander in de Red Bull 0,782 seconde toe op Antonelli. Ook Verstappens teamgenoot Isack Hadjar was sneller. Die reed op 0,635 de vijfde tijd.
Verstappen was eerder op de dag als zesde geëindigd in de sprintrace, die werd gewonnen door Antonelli in de Mercedes.
Wanneer je in 2026 een nieuwbouwhuis koopt, verwacht je een luxe toren of grote nieuwe wijk. Toch is dat aan de Vetteoordskade in Vlaardingen niet zo. Hier komen namelijk zes nieuwe ‘negentiende-eeuwse’ panden midden in één van de oudste wijken van de stad te staan.
George Russell took P4 in the Sprint at the British Grand Prix, gaining one position from where he started – but the Mercedes driver felt that more was possible.
Lewis Hamilton had to settle for second in Saturday's Sprint, despite starting the event on pole.