Quantum Computing Is Near

Inside a warehouse turned laboratory in suburban Maryland, a team of theoretical physicists and engineers is racing to build a quantum processor powerful enough to surpass the most advanced computers on Earth.

These scientists have a lofty goal: They want to rapidly accelerate a cure for cancer. But, if they’re successful, the quantum computers they create could also upend online security and pose a threat to personal data, financial institutions and even national security.

The scientists hope to use quantum mechanics to craft a new type of computer that can perform tasks impossible to do with today's classical computers, like modeling complex chemical reactions between new drugs and cancer cells long before the treatments ever go to human trials. Doing so could speed up the development of new medicines by telling researchers which compounds have the best chance of success before they start testing, eliminating unlikely candidates and fast-tracking the best contenders.

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