Quantum Computing from Colossus to Qubits: The History, Theory, and Application of a Revolutionary Science

by John Gribbin

The quantum computer is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Pioneering physicists are on the brink of unlocking a new quantum universe which provides a better representation of reality than our everyday experiences and common sense ever could. The birth of quantum computers - which, like Schr�dinger's famous "dead and alive" cat, rely on entities like electrons, photons, or atoms existing in two states at the same time - is set to turn the computing world on its head. In his fascinating study of this cutting-edge technology, and featuring a new introduction, John Gribbin explores the nature of quantum reality, arguing for a universe of many parallel worlds where "everything is real." Looking back to Alan Turing's work on the Enigma machine and the first electronic computer, Gribbin explains how quantum theory developed to make quantum computers work in practice as well as in principle. He takes us beyond the arena of theoretical physics to explore their practical applications - from machines which learn through "intuition" and trial and error to unhackable laptops and smartphones. And he investigates the potential for this extraordinary science to create a world where communication occurs faster than light and teleportation is possible. This is an exciting insider's look at the new frontier of computer science and its revolutionary implications.

Genres: Physics, Nonfiction, Science, Computer Science

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2023

About the author

John R. Gribbin is a British science writer, an astrophysicist, and a visiting fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. His writings include quantum physics, human evolution, climate change, global warming, the origins of the universe, and biographies of famous scientists. He also writes science fiction.

Reviews

[Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to see a new release on this topic (especially from John Gribbin), but I quickly realized it is simply a REPRINT of a book he wrote ten years ago. That was disappointing, but I hadn't read the original -- so it was still a good read. Mr. Gribbin's books provide detailed histories of scientists and their discoveries. Readers looking only for the latest and greatest developments in this field (without the historical context) should look elsewhere.

[Abdullah Bin Zubair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that delves into the history of computers (physical & quantum) and also in the history of the people who created them in the first place. This is not the type of books that explains concepts step by step rather it is somewhat of a history book that describes a persons life, the difficulties he faced and the achievements he made during his life. For example the first chapter is on "Alan Turing" and the second one is on "John Von Nuemon", this books tells the story of their life and how they made significant achievements. The other thing about this book is that it is divided into parts such as physical & quantum which is a good thing. It also describes the concepts related to quantum mechanics and quantum computing very efficiently along with the life of its founders. The last chapters are a bit difficult to understand as they describes the current theories and physical work being done on quantum computers but it gives you a good idea of what's going on. Overall this is a very good book for anyone interested in this topic and everyone must read it for once at least.

[Julie Timperman · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many stars to give? I’m really not sure bc after a year of slowly reading sometimes rereading I still would struggle immensely to summarize the book. So much of the research and methods described were profound and difficult to grasp. The author did a great job of summarizing and providing analogies to help anyone understand principles of quantum computing. Still, my ability to grasp the concepts has progressed as I have worked through more course work in school. The half silver mirror that can direct photons onto two separate paths with a 50:50 chance, the multiverse in general and in terms of entanglement, and the construction of quibit logic gates were some of my favorite/memorable sections to read. I’m amazed at the world that God created. The fact that we can interact and utilize knowledge to engage in any way at all is astounding.

[Frank Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is extremely talented in the way he writes science history. As a result, the book was very enjoyable to read. This also meant that the vast majority of the book was on the history, not the “theory, and application”, which was disappointing. The most I think about it, this was inevitable, since he is writing to a general audience. As a result, I can recommend it highly as a history book, but not as an introduction to quantum computing as suggested by the title.

[Walter Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the history (a lot) and the principles of QC. Although the book is originally from 2012 (and updated on 2022) it covers a wide range of fundamentals and seems like a good starting point to start digging further into the topic. Worth the read!

[Aravindakshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, but lacking in the information that I wanted to know. Focused too much on biographies of the various scientists and the evolution of classical computers.

[Palmer Hudson]

not a damn mention of time complexity vs computability advantages in quantum vs classical computers

[Lauren Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I understood more than i thought I would

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and engaging.