quantum mechanics — the theory in physics that describes the behavior of matter and energy at the level of atoms and subatomic particles. Quantum science has also been explained by a U.S. government scientist as the «rules that describe how really small things behave.»
This field is full of surprises, even for the experts. Richard Feynman, the late theoretical physicist, Nobel laureate and pioneer of quantum computing, described the field as «peculiar and mysterious to everyone — both to the novice and the experienced physicist,» because it is so different to how people experience and perceive the behavior and properties of larger objects.
Quantum mechanics was developed gradually in the early decades of the 20th century by some of the biggest names in physics. In recent decades, a range of potential applications emerged, including computing, with research now underway in more than a dozen countries, according to a report from the Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies.
For quantum computing, a turning point came in 1994 when American mathematician Peter Shor developed an algorithm — a mathematical procedure for performing a computation — which showed that quantum computers could be used to solve problems beyond the reach of classical computers.
Codebreaking is likely to be an important early application. These computers are expected to be able to break encryption codes in minutes rather than the