Two interesting arXiv papers this week:
Adiabatic quantum computation along quasienergies
A potentially new model of Quantum Computation, which is a discretized variant of Adiabatic Quantum Computation (AQC). Is it equivalent to the standard model? Is it useful? No-one knows.
This paper also got me thinking:
Electronic structure of superposition states in flux qubits.
How do you measure the cattiness [...]
Archive for the ‘quantum spookiness’ Category
Herding quantum cats
Posted in cake, expt vs theory showdown, feeling dumb, quantum computing, quantum spookiness, superconductors on October 20, 2009 | 3 Comments »
In response to Ray Kurzweil’s comment on Quantum Computing and the brain
Posted in BCI, quantum computing, quantum spookiness on October 8, 2009 | 10 Comments »
I thought I’d make a little note about this because quite a lot of people have been talking about this issue.
Ray Kurzweil addressed the Singularity Summit on Sunday and gave a brief summary of his opinions on some of the other preceding talks. He specifically answered criticism from others of our ability to ever model [...]
Violation of Bell’s inequality in Josephson phase qubits
Posted in expt vs theory showdown, links, quantum spookiness, superconductors on September 24, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Very cool…another step towards demonstrating that Josephson phase/flux systems can be treated as macroscopic coherent quantum objects.
Violation of Bell’s inequality in Josephson phase qubits
I was wondering if you could demonstrate this the other day!
From Science Daily:
The measurement of a Bell violation in a superconducting circuit was recently stated to be the next primary challenge for [...]
UK Transhumanists patiently listen to me ramble about QC for 2 hours!
Posted in BCI, outreach, psychological ponderings, quantum computing, quantum spookiness, shameless self-promotion, transhumanism on September 14, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Anyone want to watch me embarrass myself royally as I try to explain quantum computing and AI at the UK Transhumanist meeting? Thought so! This is the first of about 10 of these videos, they should all be linked from this one via YouTube.
Warning: The talk is over 100 minutes long and contains intense scenes [...]
Presentation on Quantum Computing to UKTA
Posted in BCI, psychological ponderings, quantum computing, quantum spookiness, shameless self-promotion, transhumanism on September 10, 2009 | 3 Comments »
I’m giving a talk in London on the 12th September to the UKTA (UK Transhumanist Association) for a regular event known as UKH+. There will be discussion sessions before and after the talk in a lovely nearby pub (The Marlborough Arms).
The talk will be about quantum computing: What quantum computers can do, and more importantly [...]
Watch out for the Quantum Flu!
Posted in controversial..., psychological ponderings, quantum spookiness on September 9, 2009 | 5 Comments »
I recently came across this delicious article on the Arxiv:
Towards Quantum Superposition of Living Organisms
The authors describe an experimental proposal involving the placement of a macroscopic object such as a virus in a quantum superposition of states. The object would be held in isolation from the environment using an optical tweezer setup by taking advantage [...]
Woo-rant: Mystics invade my Sunday morning
Posted in controversial..., film / tv / music, outreach, psychological ponderings, quantum spookiness on July 8, 2009 | 14 Comments »
I spent some of my Sunday morning watching a program called ‘The big questions’. This is usually fairly good, they invite a general audience and some people considered knowledgeable in their field of speciality, and debate political issues. This week one of the questions was about ‘Life after Death’.
When I first heard the premise [...]
Enhanced phase escape in the washboard potential
Posted in quantum spookiness, research blogging, superconductors on April 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
So I’m taking some tentative steps towards this open-notebook science / open-research movement, (at least whilst I remain in academia) so here are some examples of recent data I have been taking:
Disclaimer: If this post makes no sense at all, don’t worry. I’m writing a series of posts on ‘Introduction to Josephson Junctions’ which might [...]
Quarantine by Greg Egan
Posted in book reviews, psychological ponderings, quantum spookiness, sci-fi on November 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve just been reading Quarantine, a Science Fiction book by Greg Egan (1992). It was brilliant, I loved it! I’ll definitely be buying his other books.
— Warning – spoiler ahead! —
The first few chapters of the book introduce the idea that in the future earth has been quarantined by an extra-terrestrial species, but offers no [...]
