Quantum News Briefs: January 6, 2024: POLARISqb and Scientist.com Partner to Offer Online Access to Quantum-Aided Drug Design; Brazilian Researchers propose conditions for maximizing quantum entanglement; and MORE!

Quantum News Briefs: January 6, 2024: 

POLARISqb and Scientist.com Partner to Offer Online Access to Quantum-Aided Drug Design

Polarisqb, a pioneer in quantum-enabled molecular optimization tools for drug discovery, has collaborated with Scientist.com, a leading online marketplace for outsourced research in the life science industry, to provide researchers access to Polarisqb’s Quantum-Aided Drug Design (QuADD) platform. This partnership enables Scientist.com users to leverage quantum computing to create optimized molecular libraries for drug design, reducing the process from months to days. QuADD, utilizing quantum annealing computers, accelerates drug discovery by efficiently solving optimization problems and targeting specific binding pockets, potentially leading to novel drug candidates for many human diseases. The innovative approach offers a significant time advantage, with calculations being over 500 times faster than traditional computing methods, and can explore a chemical space of up to 10^30 molecules within 1-3 days. This collaboration marks a significant stride in drug research and development.

Brazilian Researchers propose conditions for maximizing quantum entanglement

A new study by researchers at São Paulo State University’s Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences (IGCE-UNESP) in Brazil has introduced a novel method for quantifying quantum entanglement, a critical factor in optimizing quantum computing. Published in Physical Review B, the study challenges the Hellmann-Feynman theorem under certain conditions, proposing the quantum Grüneisen parameter as a tool to measure entanglement or von Neumann entropy about a control parameter like magnetic fields or pressure. This method shows that entanglement peaks near quantum critical points, where the Hellmann-Feynman theorem fails. This research, which postdoctoral researcher Lucas Squillante significantly contributed to under the supervision of Professor Valdeci Mariano de Souza, marks a significant advance in quantum physics and has potential implications for the evolution of quantum computing, a field rapidly growing with the involvement of major companies like Google and IBM. The study emphasizes the superiority of quantum mechanics over classical computing in processing capacity, highlighting the increasing interest in quantum entanglement research.

In Other New: Nautilus Magazine article: “The Overlooked Experiment That Revealed the Quantum World”

A recent Nautilus Magazine article highlights the 1922 Stern-Gerlach experiment, conducted by German physicists Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach, which unveiled fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics by demonstrating the unique behavior of atoms in a magnetic field. This iconic experiment, pivotal in the development of quantum physics, has recently been revisited by physicists in Israel, who have refined the original methods to explore quantum processes further. The experiment, originally intended to challenge Niels Bohr’s quantum theory, involved vaporizing silver and passing it through a magnetic field, expecting a broad smear on a detector plate. Instead, two discrete lines appeared, confirming Bohr’s theory and leading to Stern’s Nobel Prize. The original interpretation, however, mistakenly attributed this result to the orbit of an electron rather than its spin. Today, the experiment is recognized for confirming the quantization of electron spin. Recent advancements by Ron Folman and his team at Ben-Gurion University have recreated and expanded upon this experiment, using rubidium atoms to confirm quantum superposition and interference patterns. Their work not only validates the quantum nature of the original experiment but also opens avenues for probing quantum gravity and the boundaries of quantum mechanics, including experiments with larger objects like diamonds to test their quantum behavior.

In Other News: Investor Place article: “The 3 Hottest Quantum Computing Stocks to Watch in 2024”

The quantum computing sector is burgeoning with promising investment opportunities, and three companies stand out in 2024: Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), D-Wave Quantum (QBTS), and Rigetti Computing (RGTI) highlights a recently published Investor Place article. Alphabet, with its strong research foundation, is a major player in developing superconducting quantum processors and software tools. Its Google Quantum AI team has made significant strides, demonstrating quantum supremacy, and the company’s financial stability offers a secure investment in this high-risk field. D-Wave Quantum, the first to sell quantum computers, focuses on annealing quantum computers for optimization problems. Despite its high valuation, its unique approach to problem-solving using superconducting qubits presents significant growth potential. Lastly, Rigetti Computing, known for developing quantum integrated circuits and a cloud platform for quantum algorithm programming, is poised for high future growth. Its platform caters to researchers and practical applications, especially in materials science and financial modeling. These companies represent the cutting edge of quantum computing, offering investors a chance to participate in a potentially transformative technological advancement.

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Managing Editor at Inside Quantum Technology and the Science Communicator at JILA (a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST). Her writing beats include deep tech, quantum computing, and AI. Her work has been featured in Scientific American, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Ars Technica, and more.