First, You Need to Understand How Your Computer Stores and Reads Information (aka Data)…
In traditional computers, like the ones we are all using, the basic unit of information is called a bit, which can represent either a 0 or a 1 at any given time.
A computer doesn’t store letters but stores bits, 1s and 0s… this is then processed into letters, characters, words, punctuation, phrases we recognize. When we enter data, the letters, characters, words, punctuation, phrases into the computer, it is display on the monitor as such but is stored on the computer as 1s and 0s
These bits are like microscopic switches, either on (1) or off (0 [zero]), and are sent by transistors within microchips.
All information in classical computers, from the largest supercomputers to smartphones, is encoded using these zeros and ones.
Now To Explain Qubits…
Quantum computers, however, use a different fundamental unit of information known as a quantum bit, or qubit.
The concept of a qubit is attributed to Benjamin Schumacher.
Unlike classical bits, qubits can represent a 0 or a 1, but can also represent BOTH states simultaneously due to a quantum mechanical property called superposition (the condition in which a quantum system can exist in multiple states or configurations simultaneously until it is measured).
This means a qubit can be in a combination of 0 and 1 at the same time, until it is measured.
When measured, the qubit collapses to a definite state of either 0 or 1, with quantum mechanics determining the probabilities of each outcome.
If you’re like any non-nerdy person, your rationality most likely just short circuited - just know that quantum is not rational, it just is.
Here’s the shortest, yet memorable, explanation we have seen yet from a movie… Oppenheimer…
This ability to exist in multiple states concurrently allows quantum computers to process an exponential number of possibilities simultaneously, providing a significant speed advantage for certain types of problems that classical computers are not designed to solve.
Qubits are typically physical systems, such as electrons, photons, or ions, where their charge, polarization, or spin can represent the 0 and 1 states.
Physically, a qubit is not a fixed size, as it can be realized in various ways, such as using superconducting circuits, electron spins, or energy levels of electrons in atoms.
While a classical bit can be thought of as a simple switch with two states, a qubit can be conceptualized as an arrow that can point anywhere on a sphere, enabling it to hold many more states during computation before collapsing to a 0 or 1 upon measurement
There are at least 9 different types of qubits, including superconducting, trapped ion, photonic, topological, and neutral atom qubits, each with its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of stability, coherence time, and scalability.
Researchers are continuously working on improving how qubits are built and controlled to enhance the reliability and practical impact of quantum computing.
Memory Size on a Quantum Computer
Current quantum computers operate with a range of qubits, from around 50 to over 1,000, and machines with 100 to 1,000 physical qubits are currently being developed.
While classical memory stores data until a device powers down or reboots,
quantum memory is non-persistent and can only store data for approximately 100 milliseconds
Researchers are working on new types of quantum memory using 3D-nano-printed light cages filled with atomic vapor to improve storage for quantum communication and computing.
However, a major challenge in quantum computing is dealing with high noise and error rates, which necessitates advancements in error correction schemes.
OK, now You Are Ready for What Julia McCoy Has to Share and It Is HUGE…
Stanford just built a house of mirrors around a single atom and
caught its light one photon at a time.
That one move cracks the wall blocking million-qubit computers.
Caltech assembled 6,100 qubits in September 2025, then slammed into the problem nobody outside the labs was discussing: reading them back.
Stanford's optical cavity array reads every qubit at once, in parallel.
What you'll learn:
✅ Why the readout wall stalled quantum computing for decades
✅ How microlenses cut thousands of light bounces down to almost none
✅ The path from 40 cavities to a million-qubit machine
The patent disclosures at the end tell you how fast this leaves the lab.
