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Quantum Computing might remain only a hype unless error problems are repaired

The idea of Quantum Computing gained popularity in the 1990s when an MIT mathematician Peter Shor came to the realization that quantum computers can rapidly factor large numbers.

The discovery although very much theoretical in nature led the scientists to work on quantum computing and discover if one day they could become a reality.

Since then quantum computing has gained much popularity and become a topic of interest in almost every field of science as its wide implications could affect every science field like the fast computing of impossible problems that could take classical computers thousands of years or even the generation of a cure for a disease.

Error Correction

While the idea of such a computer has been around a long time and many big names such as IBM and Google are rapidly working on coming up with quantum computers.

The biggest hurdle that lies in the way of quantum computing is the correction of errors.

For instance, if a classical computer works with 99 percent efficiency for every 100 calculation it will make one mistake but the percentage will become much higher for millions of calculations and the result might be incorrect. But this issue can be fixed because classical computers work on bits i.e 0 and 1 and also the result can be verified by a person as they do not perform very complex calculations.

In comparison, quantum computers work on qubits (quantum bits) that are essentially made up of quantum dots that are atoms trapped in small silicon chunks, individual atoms, or bits of superconductors that can conduct electricity without any resistance.

These materials are very sensitive and their interaction with the environment can create errors. As they are supposed to solve much larger calculations than classical computers, as simple error can result in gibberish or completely wrong result.

Also, it is practically impossible to verify the result of the calculation.

Therefore, even though scientists are working on various ways to fix the error problems in the quantum computers until they find a way or the computers themselves learn to fix the errors, quantum computing will remain distant from reality.