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#72 – Scott Aaronson: Quantum Computing
Lex Fridman Podcast
The Problem Is How to Isolate Qubits From Their Environment
When measuring a quantum system, the act of observation can force the qubit to make a definite choice and lose its superposition state. Any interaction with the external environment can cause the qubit's state to collapse and become entangled with its surroundings. Therefore, keeping qubits well isolated from their environment while allowing precise interaction for quantum computation poses a significant challenge. However, the theory of quantum error correction and fault tolerance in the mid to late 90s provided a solution. It revealed that qubits do not need to be perfectly isolated, but rather well isolated, and any leaks can be detected and corrected. This discovery set the engineering agenda for quantum computing, aiming to engineer reliable qubits that use error correction to simulate even more reliable qubits, leading to substantial progress since the 90s.
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