Is The Future Quantum?

Short Wave

NPR

Daily News, Nature, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Science, News

4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 29 March 2021

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

NPR science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel takes us to IonQ, one of the companies betting on a quantum computing future. Along the way, Geoff explains what little researchers know about how we might actually use this technology. There are hints though quantum computing could change everything from discovering new drugs to developing advanced materials.

Want us to cover another promising, complicated technology? Email us — we're at [email protected].

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:06.6	Hey everybody, Emily Kwong here with NPR Science Correspondent Jeff Brumfield.
0:10.8	Hi Jeff.
0:11.5	Hi Emily.
0:12.3	So I heard that you managed to leave your home office and go report in the field?
0:18.4	It's true. I left.
0:20.8	Yeah.
0:21.0	Took a bunch of paperwork and they had to send me some N95 respirator masks.
0:25.9	Get our mask on.
0:27.7	Get out of the car.
0:29.2	Oh, this mask is so uncomfortable.
0:32.8	I got to go to a beige suburban office building about 15 minutes away from where I live.
0:39.2	Pretty nondescript.
0:40.7	Doesn't really feel like the future, I guess I'd say.
0:44.4	But I'm told this is where the future is.
0:46.8	So that's why I've come here.
0:48.9	What future are we talking about here?
0:51.3	Well inside this building Emily, there is a new kind of computer.
0:54.8	A kind of computer that some people think is going to completely change the world.
0:59.2	It's called a quantum computer.
1:01.3	And if scientists and engineers can get it to work, it could be revolutionary.
1:05.9	Yes, quantum computing.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.