Australian researchers use a quantum computer to simulate how real molecules behave

By Ivan Kassal, Professor of Chemical Physics, University of Sydney
Tingrei Tan, Research Fellow, Quantum Control Laboratory, University of Sydney

When a molecule absorbs light, it undergoes a whirlwind of quantum-mechanical transformations. Electrons jump between energy levels, atoms vibrate, and chemical bonds shift — all within millionths of a billionth of a second.

These processes underpin everything from photosynthesis in plants and DNA damage from sunlight, to the operation of solar cells and light-powered cancer therapies.

Yet despite their importance, chemical processes driven by light are difficult to simulate accurately. Traditional computers struggle, because it takes vast computational power to simulate…

Read complete article

~	Syria: New government must prioritize justice and truth measures to prevent further abuse

~	Europe: Brussels court ruling on tracking-based ads a major win for right to privacy

~	To boost the nation’s health, the government’s proposed food strategy must put people over profits

~	With a new minister for early childhood education, what can the federal government do to make centres safer?

~	Ben Roberts-Smith has lost an appeal in his long-running defamation case. Here’s why

~	Podcast: Safa, from the Palestinian diaspora, on how revealing her identity can make her feel unsafe

~	You usually need more than a few drops of blood, saliva or urine to detect illnesses. Here’s why

~	EU Needs Tougher Response to Attack on Turkish Opposition

~	Sri Lanka’s Tamil Women Await Justice 16 Years Since War’s End

~	Why does digital violence against LGBTI people in Thailand and Taiwan continue even after marriage equality?