A quantum computing system’s perfect randomness could keep your secrets safe - Scientific American
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May 27, 20263 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmA quantum computing system’s perfect randomness could keep your secrets safeGenerating and confirming the randomness of qubits could lead to breakthroughs in computer data encryptionBy Adam Kovac edited by Claire Cameron ETH ZurichQuantum ComputingJoin Our Community of Science Lovers!Sign Up for Our Free Daily NewsletterEnter your emailI agree my information will be processed in accordance with the Scientific American and Springer Nature Limited Privacy Policy. We leverage third party services to both verify and deliver email. By providing your email address, you also consent to having the email address shared with third parties for those purposes.Sign UpThe orderly flow of information around the globe depends a lot on security, and at the heart of that security is randomness.Modern-day encryption relies on unpredictability to avoid being cracked, and the most powerful form of unpredictability is randomness. And in a new study, researchers describe a new way to amplify that randomness.Random number generators have been around for ages, but they often have subtle imperfections that cause patterns to emerge. And even powerful computers are saddled with this liability purely because they use traditional transistors to generate the binary code—1’s and 0’s—that enables computers to store data and make calculations.It’s Time to Stand Up for ScienceIf you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.Thank you,David M.