Quantum computing is a future technology which uses quantum phenomena to provide more powerful computing power.
Traditional computing uses bits, which are binary so can only be in one of two states, one or zero.
Quantum computing uses what are called qubits, which can be in a much higher number of states, including one, zero, or a number of superpositions of these states.
The ability to be in more states would allow much more information to be processed in a much shorter time.
There is heavy investment in research into quantum computing by both public and private sector bodies. Google and Nasa are working on a quantum computer that is 3,600 times faster at solving complex problems than a supercomputer, the D-Wave X2.
The field of quantum computing was first pioneered by Paul Benioff and Yuri Manin in 1980, with contributions from Richard Feynman in 1982 and David Deutsch in 1985.
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