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* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
Some of the finest minds in the state recently explained to me the importance of a mostly unnoticed line in the state of Illinois’ new capital projects plan.
University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer, Argonne National Laboratory Director Paul Kearns and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Provost Andreas Cangellaris touted new state government funding for a program that could be “even bigger than supercomputing” (Zimmer) and a “paradigm shift” in technology (Cangellaris).
What is this marvel? Quantum physics. It’s the study of subatomic particles that don’t behave in the way we understand “normal” physics. The particles do things like exist in two places simultaneously, move through what we would consider solid objects and change their form when observed. Google it. It’ll blow your mind.
The idea is to try to harness these tiny particles to do stuff like create vastly improved computing systems or design totally new types of pharmaceuticals or unbreakable encryption.
In 2017, the University of Chicago invested $100 million and partnered with Argonne and Fermilab on a project called the Chicago Quantum Exchange.
While the University of Illinois may be better known for its supercomputing and internet breakthroughs, which led to pretty much everything digital that we take for granted today, the institution has been studying quantum physics since the early 1950s. It joined the exchange in October.
President Donald Trump signed a bill in December providing over a billion dollars for quantum research. The military is especially concerned about China, which successfully conducted a quantum encryption experiment and is reportedly spending billions on the technology.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been involved with high-tech development for years in the private sector, and he says he’s familiar with quantum physics. He also knew about U of C’s $100 million investment and its search for more partners. So he decided
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posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:08 am
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== he says he’s familiar with quantum physics==
That phrase really makes me laugh.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:14 am
Also CERN is shopping for a site for the Future Circular Collider, four times as long as the Large Hadron Collider. (The US isn’t a member of CERN, but we could be. The E stands for Europe, but not all members are European countries) And we already have Fermi and Argonne in the metro area. We need to try and get this here.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:21 am
== unbreakable encryption. ==
Quantum computing would make unbreakable encryption, but it would also break the currently unbreakable public key encryption in use today. So, that’s another reason to invest in it even though it might still be pretty theoretical.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:21 am
These are the kinds of conversations we need to be having, not complaining about the unions. I’m not totally on board with the hub, but things are starting to move in the right direction, I.e., forward.
Comment by Excessively Rabid Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:29 am
Didn’t Northwestern also get $100 million from the state for the quantum exchange?
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:39 am
– he’s familiar with quantum physics –
Every session, JB finds himself transported to a different time in Illinois during which he must right some wrong that occurred.
Oh. Wait.
That’s Quantum Leap.
Meh.
Probably the same thing.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:42 am
The only person, when it comes to Quantum Physics, I want to hear from is Annie Savoy…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:44 am
While the $45B capital plan is too large for a state in such a fiscal mess, I am fully supportive of this investment. It has the potential to be a game changer that Illinois needs to be part of, and as Rich points out, U of I has been a leader in computer engineering that yielded significant benefit. Quantum physics has potential to do the same.
Comment by SSL Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:48 am
— He says he’s familiar with quantum physics —
“Scott Bakula did a lot of good with it!”
Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:52 am
Love it. I don’t think a lot of the tax incentives to bring businesses here are good investments, but this sort of business incubator approach can attract federal investment and more importantly makes the ground fertile for entrepreneurship.
Comment by Earnest Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:53 am
Some more on just the computing side.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/612844/what-is-quantum-computing/
Entaglement alone if someone figures out how to do it relabily over distances is going to change all sort of things in communications alone.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/06/china-s-quantum-satellite-achieves-spooky-action-record-distance
The fact the Chinese were willing to annouce this is big as well. It may take forever to get this stuff to work, but the risk of being second is to great to be ignored.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:55 am
Has Sheldon or Howard looked into this?
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 9:55 am
I’d be confused if I knew what to be confused about. I do know this. We have to give our nerds the resources that the nerds in China and elsewhere have.
Comment by A guy Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 10:03 am
=The particles do things like exist in two places simultaneously=
Wish I could do that.
Comment by JoanP Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 10:04 am
In fact Sheldon has…
http://filmgarb.com/sheldons-quantum-shirt/
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7d3YEuKsyk
Comment by OneMan Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 10:05 am
Quantum physics also seems to say nothing exists until noticed. I wonder how many universes there really are? Did Rauner win in another?
Comment by Generic Drone Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 10:42 am
Generic Drone, in applied theory it’s called Schrodinger’s gov
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 11:02 am
Simply put, good.
Illinois should be doing everything in its power to identify places where meaningful investment can pay long-term economic dividends. This seems like a good case.
Comment by Nick Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 11:03 am
We will finally get the answer to that age old question:
“How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You’re Not Anywhere at All “
Comment by a drop in Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 11:11 am
Another practical application of quantum physics is in superconductors. If a room temperature, low cost superconductor can be created, you will go a long way to making all electric motors exceeding efficient. That will help with reducing carbon emissions and global warming.
So its a good investment for Illinois as it ventures into the electric car industry.
Comment by A Jack Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 11:20 am
““Quantum physics also seems to say nothing exists until noticed. I wonder how many universes there really are?”
Starting January 1 we’ll be able to contemplate this with the help of a legal substance.
“Did Rauner win in another?”
A buzz kill in any universe.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 11:31 am
This is one of the most hopeful articles I have read in a while.
Comment by Old Illini Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 1:46 pm
Tremendous upside. This could have a Stanford or MIT effect on Illinois.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 3:22 pm
Just like Illinois being late to the game with quantum physics. Scotty was beaming people up years ago.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 5:17 pm
Is a quantum computer the key to having a positronic brain?
Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 5:42 pm
Quantum Leap? Wow, somebody else remembered that show?
“Ye canna change the laws of physics, Jim”
Spock: However, it may be hypothetically possible that Schrodinger’s Cat is indeed alivein all universes.
Comment by revvedup Monday, Jul 1, 19 @ 6:08 pm