Is AI the answer to life, the universe and everything?
The Y2Q Moment: When Encryption Dies In the cybersecurity world, a new date looms with the same foreboding as Y2K once did for computer systems: Y2Q, also called “Q-Day”—the moment when quantum computers become powerful enough to break the encryption that secures our digital civilization. Unlike Y2K’s midnight countdown, Y2Q won’t arrive with fanfare. It…
Introduction: When Physics Becomes Geopolitics In October 2019, Google announced it had achieved “quantum supremacy”—the first demonstration of a quantum computer solving a problem faster than classical computers could. The milestone lasted just 10 days before IBM challenged the claim, disputing both the methodology and the implications. But beneath this scientific debate lay a deeper…
The global race for quantum computing leadership has moved beyond laboratory discoveries into the realm of high-stakes geopolitical competition. While Part 1 of this series explored why quantum computing matters, Part 2 examines how the world’s major powers are organizing their quantum strategies—and why their different approaches reveal deeper truths about 21st-century technological competition. Editor’s…
Introduction: The Hidden Architecture of Quantum Power In October 2024, a quiet announcement from a Finnish company sent ripples through the quantum computing world. Bluefors, the world’s leading manufacturer of dilution refrigerators—the ultra-cold systems that keep quantum computers operational—revealed plans to restrict sales to certain countries. While the headline focused on export controls, the deeper…
Editor’s Note: This is the final installment of our five-part series “The New Physics of Power,” examining how quantum technologies are reshaping international relations and strategic competition. Part 1 explored quantum as a force multiplier, Part 2 analyzed the quantum arms race, Part 3 examined economic power dynamics, Part 4 investigated strategic stability challenges, and…
The New Space Race On July 20, 1969, as Neil Armstrong took humanity’s first steps on the lunar surface, the Cold War rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union reached its most visible peak. The space race had captivated the world for over a decade, demonstrating that scientific achievement could reshape global power dynamics…