New Study Highlights the Possibilities of Quantum Computing

The influential US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released a new report designed to prepare for the emergence of quantum computing and understand how quantum computers could contribute to ongoing study at the US government’s sprawling Los Alamos National Lab. The report, entitled “Potential Applications of Quantum Computing at Los Alamos Laboratory,” describes the potential for quantum computing across a broad range of fields, from material science to supercomputing to astrophysics.

According to co-author and Los Alamos senior science Carleton Coffrin, “Quantum computing has the potential to transform the modeling and simulation capabilities that are the backbone of our scientific and national security missions at the Laboratory. This report serves as a useful guide for the continued, impactful development of quantum computing technology to help tackle exciting simulation problems across a range of scientific endeavors at national laboratories.”

The report is part of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking program, a program created to provide standards for measuring the progress of quantum computing. See the press release at the Los Alamos National Labs website for more information, or view the full report at arXiv.