GOOGLE claims a breakthrough quantum chip called Willow may prove the existence of parallel universes.
The gob-smacking theory came as Willow took just five minutes to solve a computational problem so hard it would have taken today’s super-computers around 10 septillion years to crack.
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The quantum chip’s performance has been labelled as “astonishing” by the leader and founder of Google’s Quantum AI team Hartmut Neven.
He said the ultra-high-speed result – that would have taken another super-computer more than the age of the universe to crack – “lends credence to the notion that quantum computation occurs in many parallel universes”.
Oxford University’s David Deutsch was also credited for proposing the theory that the breakthrough development of quantum computing would affirm the “many worlds interpretation” of quantum mechanics.
This includes the baffling – and terrifying – existence of a multiverse.
Unlike traditional computers that employ 0s and 1s, quantum computers rely on infinitely smaller bits called qubits, TechCrunch reports.
These process information at lightning speeds, therefore allowing them to potentially solve unbelievably complex problems.
The issues that Willow could solve would push beyond the capabilities of traditional computation machines.
Leader and founder Neven also claims that Willow is less error-prone than other quantum computers.
This is because experts have found a paradoxical way to reduce the likelihood of glitches.
More qubits are added in, which, traditionally, would increase the probability of errors.
Science writer Ethan Siegel has blasted Google’s claims on parallel universes, saying that the success of quantum computers doesn’t necessarily prove the existence of a multiverse.
In his essay for Big Think, Siegel wrote: “You can have quantum mechanics work just fine, both physically and mathematically, without introducing even one parallel universe.”
Despite this, Siegel did say he was impressed by Google’s unbelievable technological achievement, which he said is “a truly excellent step forward in the world of quantum computation”.
Other experts feel the same way, with many believing Willow and its capabilities could reach incredible heights.
At a minimum, Google’s breakthrough quantum computer could likely help the world craft a new one, aiding scientists in solutions to some of Earth’s most pressing problems.
Neven explained in a Google blog post: “This includes helping us discover new medicines, designing more efficient batteries for electric cars, and accelerating progress in fusion and new energy alternatives.
“Many of these future game-changing applications won’t be feasible on classical computers; they’re waiting to be unlocked with quantum computing.”
Professor Winfried Hensinger from the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies called Willow’s achievement a “very important milestone” in the field of quantum computers.
He told the Daily Mail: “This result increases our confidence further that humanity will be able to build practical quantum computers enabling some of the highly impactful applications quantum computers are known for.”
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