The quantum revolution: Brain waves
FT News Briefing
Forhecz Topher
4.4 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 8 April 2023
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Quantum computers aren’t the only form of groundbreaking technology that use quantum physics. Madhumita Murgia hears from Dr. Margot Taylor, neuroscience researcher at The Hospital for Sick Children, who’s using quantum sensors to unpick the mystery of how autism first appears in the brain And we speak to Matthew Brookes, physics professor at Nottingham university in the UK, who helped build the quantum brain scanner she’s using. Plus, John Thornhill speaks to Stuart Woods from Quantum Exponential about the potential for quantum sensors to change our understanding of the world around us, and to Jack Hidary from Sandbox AQ about how sensors and communications networks might fit into a wider quantum technology ecosystem.
Presented by Madhumita Murgia and John Thornhill, produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon and Edwin Lane. Executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original music by Metaphor Music. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to The Hospital for Sick Children
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The FT News Briefing is supported by Equinole, the UK's energy partner. |
| 0:06.2 | Learn more at equinole.co.uk |
| 0:10.1 | Hi, my name is Madhomita Mergia and I'm one of the presenters of Tech Tonic. |
| 0:15.4 | We're looking for some feedback from our listeners about the show. |
| 0:18.8 | So if you have a second, please fill out our brief listener survey which you can find at FT.com slash Tech Tonic Survey. |
| 0:29.3 | So far, in this season of Tech Tonic, we've been talking about quantum computers |
| 0:35.1 | and how they could bring about a quantum revolution. |
| 0:38.7 | But computers aren't the only forms of technology being built today that use quantum physics. |
| 0:45.0 | Okay, so all right, do you want to come in? |
| 0:48.4 | This is our little participant today. |
| 0:51.2 | She's a little shy. |
| 0:52.8 | In a hospital in Toronto in Canada, research her Margot Taylor is using quantum technology |
| 0:59.3 | to see into the brains of young children. |
| 1:02.7 | Today, Margot is scanning the brain of a four-year-old girl. |
| 1:07.3 | She's quiet and shy and she's holding tight to her dad's hand as Margot gets her set up in her lab. |
| 1:14.1 | She's going into the magnetically shielded room which is a big room and she sits in this |
| 1:19.5 | lovely chair and here is the helmet and it goes on. It's got all these sensors in the helmet |
| 1:27.3 | and it goes on her head just like that like a bicycle helmet. |
| 1:31.6 | The little girl climbs into a big padded chair and sits quietly as a brightly coloured plastic helmet |
| 1:37.6 | is fitted onto her head. But this is no ordinary helmet. It's a quantum brain scanner fitted |
| 1:45.1 | with a raft of sensors that use quantum physics to detect brain activity. |
| 1:50.5 | Okay, are you ready? Are you ready to go? All right. |
... |
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