A host of new computer technologies has emerged within the last few years, and quantum computing is arguably the technology requiring the greatest paradigm shift on the part of developers.
Quantum computers were proposed in the 1980s by Richard Feynman and Yuri Manin. The intuition behind quantum computing stemmed from what was often seen as one of the greatest embarrassments of physics: remarkable scientific progress faced with an inability to model even simple systems.
Quantum mechanics was developed between
1900 and 1925 and it remains the cornerstone on which chemistry, condensed matter physics, and technologies ranging from computer chips to LED lighting ultimately rests. Yet despite these successes, even some of the simplest systems seemed to be beyond the human ability to model with quantum mechanics. This is because simulating systems of even a few dozen interacting particles requires more computing power than any conventional computer can provide over thousands of years!
