StarTalk Radio Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling with John Martinis
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Jan 6, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, John Martinis, a Professor of Physics at UC Santa Barbara and former leader of Google’s quantum lab, dives into the fascinating world of macroscopic quantum tunneling. He explains its implications for superconductivity and quantum computing, including how superconducting circuits can express quantum behaviors. Martinis also addresses qubit lifetimes, the risks quantum computing poses to encryption, and the potential for quantum technologies to revolutionize fields like weather modeling and brain mapping. Get ready to explore the quantum frontier!
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Quantum Behavior At Chip Scale
- John Martinis showed an electrical circuit the size of a dime that obeys quantum mechanics like an artificial atom.
- This demonstrates quantum behavior at macroscopic, chip-scale dimensions rather than only at atomic scales.
Macroscopic Tunneling Is Distinct From Superconductivity
- Superconductivity is a macroscopic result of microscopic quantum pairing, but Martinis stresses the new phenomenon is different.
- The experiment produces macroscopic quantum tunneling distinct from bulk superconductivity repeating microscopic behavior.
Engineer Quantum Devices Like Electronics
- Use established electronics techniques to build quantum devices so they scale like classical circuits.
- Martinis suggests inductors, capacitors and Josephson junctions form a new 'periodic table' for engineered quantum systems.
