A team of researchers has demonstrated a 1,000-qubit quantum processor capable of solving problems previously thought to require millions of years on classical computers.
The processor, developed at a joint university-industry lab, maintained quantum coherence for a record-breaking 10 minutes — far exceeding the previous record of just a few seconds.
"We've crossed a threshold that many thought was decades away," said the lead researcher. "This opens the door to practical applications in drug discovery, materials science, and cryptography."
The breakthrough relied on a novel error-correction technique that dramatically reduces the number of physical qubits needed to maintain a single logical qubit, making large-scale quantum computation far more feasible.