Quantum Computers Explained – Limits of Human Technology

Quantum Computers Explained – Limits of Human Technology

For most of our history, human technology consisted of our brains, fire, and sharp sticks.

While fire and sharp sticks became power plants and nuclear weapons,

the biggest upgrade has happened to our brains.

Since the 1960's, the power of our brain machines has kept growing exponentially,

allowing computers to get smaller and more powerful at the same time.

But this process is about to meet its physical limits.

Computer parts are approaching the size of an atom.

To understand why this is a problem, we have to clear up some basics.

In a Nutshell - By Kurzgesagt

A computer is made up of very simple components

doing very simple things.

Representing data, the means of processing it, and control mechanisms.

Computer chips contain modules, which contain logic gates, which contain transistors.

A transistor is the simplest form of a data processor in computers,

basically a switch that can either block, or open the way for information coming through.

This information is made up of bits

which can be set to either 0 or 1.

Combinations of several bits are used to represent more complex information.

Transistors are combined to create logic gates which still do very simple stuff.

For example, an AND Gate sends an output of 1 if all of its inputs are 1, and a output of 0 otherwise.

Combinations of logic gates finally form meaningful modules, say, for adding two numbers.