Quantum computing breakthrough: 99% efficient?

Bill Gates warns of pandemics that could turn out worse than COVID, Intel is investing $20 billion towards a massive new semiconductor plant Jan 24, 2022 [View in browser]( Good morning. Nothing can top starting the week with a fresh warning from Bill Gates about the next pandemic, which he says might be worse than the one we currently have. Right? At least he’s doing something about it. Moving on to the frontiers of innovation, we've taken a step closer to proving that near error-free quantum computing is feasible. The breakthrough is compatible with today's broader semiconductor industry, which received an upgrade via Intel's $20-billion investment in a massive new semiconductor chip manufacturing facility. This is The Blueprint. Happy reading. HEALTH [Bill Gates Warns of Pandemics That Could Turn Out Worse Than COVID]( [And laments the inequities in vaccine access.]( Bill Gates, the stakeholding billionaire who warned us about a pandemic five years before it actually happened, [has said that future pandemics]( could turn out far worse than COVID-19. We really need a break. - Gates made the remarks as his foundation announced a $150 million donation to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) to combat COVID-19, and avoid future pandemics. The endgame. CEPI is now trying to raise $3.5 billion to ensure that a vaccine for the potential pandemic can be rolled out within 100 days, something Gates has been repeatedly talking about to ensure readiness for the next pandemic. It's good to know that some of the world’s richest people are doing something other than jockeying for higher revenues and symbolic space milestones. Last month, [Gates also said that he expects Omicron]( to be the worst part of the pandemic, and that COVID-19 will be treated like flu later this year, thanks to the vaccines and drugs developed so far. [Read More]( INNOVATION [Intel Is Investing $20 Billion Towards a Massive New Semiconductor Plant]( [China is 'three or four generations behind the leading-edge.']( Intel [is set to invest $20 billion]( into a massive new semiconductor chip manufacturing site near Columbus, Ohio. The new investment will be dedicated to building two new semiconductor manufacturing plants, bringing 3,000 new permanent jobs to the 1,000-acre site. This could be the first step in building an eight-factory complex that could cost tens of billions of dollars. - The context. At this point, we all know about [the chip shortage problem](. It's why global chipmakers are frantically trying to boost output amid the worldwide shortage brought on by massive demand, compounded by supply chain disruptions, fueled by the pandemic. Intel is also trying to regain its position as a global leader in producing the smallest and fastest semiconductor technologies, which was recently surmounted by the current leader, Taiwan-based TSMC. The rise of China. The news comes as an analyst warns that China, which has invested heavily in semiconductor technology in recent years, is "three or four generations" away from being at the cutting edge of semiconductor production. [Read More]( SCIENCE [Quantum Computing in Silicon Just Made a Major Breakthrough. 99% Efficiency?]( [Almost error-free quantum computing?]( Researchers from the University of South Wales (UNSW) [have taken a huge step]( in demonstrating that near error-free quantum computing is possible and may soon become a reality. - The wow factor. Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW, who led the work, says their operations were 99 percent error-free. Such low error levels mean scientists can detect and correct them as they happen. Morello had already managed to [preserve quantum information]( in silicon for 35 seconds, a timeframe that’s equivalent to an eternity in the quantum world. But there was a catch: His method included separating the qubits, which prevented them from interacting with one another and engaging in computations. In his latest trials, Morello conceived of an electron encompassing two nuclei of phosphorus atoms that could bypass the issues encountered in his initial efforts. Better yet, the new method ensures that the quantum breakthrough is compatible with today's broader semiconductor industry. Now, that's something to get excited about. [Read More]( MAIL & MUSINGS With major breakthroughs every week, the arrival of full-scale quantum computers could be just around the corner. What about the future of quantum computing excites you most? Be sure you check back tomorrow for the results! [Faster transactions! Finance will thrive.]( [Better weather forecasting. It’s currently just a guessing game!]( [Faster development of drugs and vaccines. This is vital.]( [I’m just worried about data encryption becoming obsolete.]( Yesterday’s Results We asked whether something good could come out of an iceberg dumping 152 billion tons of freshwater into the ocean ecosystem. According to the majority, there'll be both good and bad outcomes. We should probably ask the fish. It'll probably do some good and some bad. 56% Yes, the local ecosystem is going to love the extra nutrients. 23% No, I expect it to harm its immediate environment. 14% What if it releases forgotten pathogens into wild? 7% QUOTE OF THE DAY “ Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet and never before have we had the power to do something about that. Surely we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet. ” Sir David Attenborough in ‘Blue Planet II’ [Video]VIDEO OF THE DAY [The Principles at Work Behind the 'Unstoppable' Putt-Putt Boat]( It keeps going as long as the candle lasts! [The Principles at Work Behind the 'Unstoppable' Putt-Putt Boat]( AND ANOTHER THING... - Did you know that people are more likely to take risks at home that they would not take elsewhere? Here's [how to survive the world's most dangerous place]( Your house. - Concerned about human-caused climate change ruining our planet? No worries: An astronomer [thinks we can move our planet to a cooler position](. Because that sounds easier than phasing out the fossil fuel industry. - In a quest to map out a quantum theory of gravity, researchers have used logical rules to calculate how much Einstein’s theory must change. [The result matches string theory perfectly](. (Quanta Magazine) - The U.S. Air Force [has successfully completed]( the first remote-controlled flight of an eVTOL aircraft. - Are embedded devices [the next ransomware target]( (TechCrunch) - Researchers [are working on nanobody tests]( to detect all known and even yet unknown species of the Ebola virus. - Buying up coal mines or oil drilling rights isn’t typically seen as climate-conscious behavior. But there may be [one surprisingly good reason](. (BBC) [Share to Win]SHARE TO WIN [All products]( Share The Blueprint! Give your friends deeper insights into engineering and tech, and win exclusive IE swag for free. [Read Details]( Share your link Copy & share your referral link with others. [ [Referral Program Terms and Conditions]( Prepared by Derya Ozdemir and Brad Bergan Enjoy reading? Don't forget to forward to a friend! Was this email forwarded to you? 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