[Book Sip] "Quantum Computers Can Prevent and Treat Incurable Diseases"

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For the past several decades, computer performance has improved twofold every 18 months, following "Moore's Law," but it has now reached its limit. Computer performance is proportional to the number of transistors on a microchip, and it has become difficult to make more space. This is also why quantum computers are emerging. The author presents quantum computers as an alternative and envisions various possibilities. He argues that they can convert carbon dioxide into high-value-added materials, trigger a green revolution in fertilizer production to solve food problems, and emphasizes their crucial role in developing treatments for difficult and incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

We will be eyewitnesses to the end of the silicon era and are likely to be the first generation to witness the dawn of the post-silicon era (or quantum era) firsthand. - p. 21

The problem that hinders quantum computers was already foreseen when Feynman first proposed the basic concept. For a quantum computer to work properly, the atoms that make up the qubits must be arranged to vibrate in the same mode simultaneously (this state is called "coherence"). However, atoms are extremely small and sensitive objects, so if even a slight impurity or disturbance from outside intervenes, the atomic arrangement immediately collapses into a decoherence state, and the calculation becomes a mess. This is the biggest problem facing quantum computers. Now, here is a trillion-dollar question: Can we control the decoherence of quantum computers? - pp. 24-25

If two objects are in a coherent state (vibrating in the same pattern), they can maintain that state no matter how far apart they are. Nowadays, physicists call this phenomenon "entanglement." This is the core principle of quantum computers. Entangled qubits can interact even when far apart, unleashing powerful computational capabilities. - p. 80

Currently, hundreds of chemical substances are tested one by one to improve battery performance, but with quantum computers, all these experiments can be executed much faster. Since these are conducted in a virtual space rather than an actual laboratory, costs are also greatly reduced. "Virtual chemistry" conducted by quantum computers, such as photosynthesis or nitrogen fixation simulations, will significantly reduce the tedious trial and error in chemical laboratories. - p. 184

If you analyze penicillin molecules with a conventional digital computer, you would have to prepare to retire after handing over all your research to your students. In reality, this task requires computer memory of 10^86 bits. However, for quantum computers, this is just routine calculation. Developing new drugs and analyzing the mechanisms of drugs at the molecular level might become the main tasks of quantum computers. - p. 205

There are various ways to use quantum computers in the war against cancer. They can be applied to liquid biopsies to detect cancer cells early, years before tumors form, analyze biometric data transmitted daily from sensors installed in every citizen's bathroom to identify cancer cells, or build massive genome databases.

If cancer grows beyond a certain size, quantum computers can be used to modify the immune system to selectively attack only the cancer cells among hundreds of types of cancer. Combining gene therapy, immunotherapy, and CRISPR with quantum computers allows precise cutting or pasting of cancer genes, enabling side-effect-free immunotherapy. Also, since most cancers are closely related to a few genes like p53, early cancer prevention is possible through gene therapy using quantum computers. - p. 237

Quantum computers possess tremendous computational power but do not learn new knowledge from mistakes. However, if neural networks are installed on quantum computers, their performance improves with each repeated calculation, allowing problems to be solved faster and more efficiently. Similarly, artificial intelligence can learn from mistakes but lacks sufficient computational power to solve complex problems. However, AI supplemented by quantum computers can easily solve previously challenging problems. - pp. 242-243

The Future of Quantum Computers | Written by Michio Kaku | Translated by Park Byung-chul | 436 pages | 24,800 KRW