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The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo: Qubits, Quantum Hardware, and Future Computing
The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo: Qubits, Quantum Hardware, and Future Computing
This podcast explores the current state and near-term future of quantum computing. Hosts Lucas and Luna examine the science and business of quantum hardware, from superconducting qubits to trapped ions and topological systems. They discuss engineering challenges like error correction, the race to quantum supremacy, and realistic timelines for commercial quantum advantage. Each episode focuses on a specific company, research paper, or technology milestone, such as Google's Sycamore or IBM's Quantum System One. The show aims to provide a clear, hype-free understanding of quantum computing's real bottlenecks, credible roadmaps, and potential industry transformations.
Episodes
Why Quantum Computers Need a New Approach to Interconnects
Quantum computers today are limited by how qubits talk to each other — interconnects. Lucas and Luna explore the interconnect bottleneck: why superconducting qubits can't just 'wire up' like classical chips, the challenge of crosstalk and signal degradation at millikelvin temperatures, and how companies like IBM, Google, and startups like Rigetti are tackling it with cryogenic cabling, photonic li
Quantum Computing Is Turning Biology Into Code
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how quantum computing is beginning to model biological systems at the molecular level, specifically protein folding and enzyme dynamics. They discuss a recent preprint from researchers at a consortium involving IBM Quantum and the University of Tokyo that used a 127-qubit processor to simulate a small protein's energy landscape with better accuracy than clas
How Quantum Computing Is Testing Algorithm Benchmarking Standards
Episode 45 of The Quantum Computing Podcast tackles the growing challenge of benchmarking quantum algorithms. Lucas and Luna discuss why current metrics like circuit depth and gate fidelity don't tell the full story, and how a consortium of labs is proposing a new standard called Q-score 2.0. They explore a real case from a 2026 cross-platform test involving 100-qubit processors from two different
How Quantum Computing Is Building a Software Stack
Episode 44 of the Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo dives into the emerging software layer that makes quantum hardware usable. Lucas and Luna explore why quantum operating systems and compilers are the unsung heroes of the field, using concrete examples like IBM's Qiskit and the open-source PennyLane framework. They discuss how these tools abstract away the messy physics of qubits, allowing d
Why Quantum Computers Need Classical Coprocessors
Most quantum-computing discussions pit classical versus quantum as an either/or. This episode argues the real breakthrough is hybridisation at the silicon level. Lucas breaks down how NVIDIA's Grace Hopper superchip and similar designs are pairing classical GPUs with quantum processing units inside the same cryostat, cutting latency from microseconds to nanoseconds. Luna presses on a concrete case
Why Quantum Computers Need Cryogenic Controllers
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive into the unsung hero of quantum hardware: the cryogenic controller. While most attention goes to the qubits themselves, the specialized electronics that operate at near-absolute-zero temperatures are becoming the bottleneck for scalability. They discuss how companies like Quantum Machines and Zurich Instruments are developing cu
Why Quantum Computing Needs A New Approach to Error Correction Codes
Lucas and Luna dive into a critical frontier for quantum computing: developing new error correction codes that work with today's noisy qubits. They explore why the surface code — the current favorite — may not scale, and highlight a recent breakthrough from researchers at MIT and the University of Sydney using a new class of quantum low-density parity-check (qLDPC) codes. The episode explains how
Quantum Computing for Climate Modeling in 2026
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how quantum computers are being used to simulate climate models more accurately than classical supercomputers. They focus on a specific 2026 breakthrough at the University of Chicago, where a 128-qubit processor modeled atmospheric carbon capture with 40% less error than classical methods. The hosts discuss why q
Why Quantum Computers Need a New Approach to Networking
Episode 39 of The Quantum Computing Podcast dives into one of the most overlooked bottlenecks in scaling quantum computers: networking. Lucas and Luna explore why connecting multiple quantum processors — even in the same building — requires fundamentally new infrastructure. They discuss the challenge of distributing entanglement across chips, the role of photonic interconnects, and how companies l
How Quantum Computing Is Fighting the Noise Problem
Quantum computers are notoriously sensitive to noise from heat, vibration, and electromagnetic interference. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the practical strategies researchers are using to isolate qubits from real-world disturbances. They break down the concept of 'error suppression' versus 'error correction,' look at how companies like IBM and Quantinuum are engineering better shielding
Why Quantum Computers Are Going Hybrid with Neutral Atoms
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising shift in quantum computing hardware: atomic arrays based on neutral atoms. Unlike superconducting or trapped-ion qubits, neutral atoms offer unique advantages like long coherence times and the ability to be assembled into arbitrary geometries using optical tweezers. The hosts dive into a recent milestone from QuEra Computing, which demonstrated
Why Quantum Computers Need Better Simulation Software
Lucas and Luna explore the unsung software layer powering quantum computing's progress: simulation tools that let researchers test quantum algorithms on classical hardware before running them on expensive, error-prone quantum processors. This episode drills into the specific case of IBM's Qiskit and its open-source simulator backend, which now handles circuits with over 100 qubits on a single GPU.
Why Quantum Computers Need a New Approach to Supply Chains
Episode 35 of The Quantum Computing Podcast explores how quantum computers are being applied to supply chain optimization — and why it's harder than it sounds. Lucas and Luna break down a real 2026 case study from a major automotive manufacturer that tried to use a 100-qubit quantum annealer to reroute its global parts logistics after a port disruption. They discuss why quantum advantage in logist
Why Quantum Computers Need a Hybrid Classical Architecture
Episode 34 of The Quantum Computing Podcast explores the emerging architecture that pairs quantum processors with classical co-processors to handle error correction, control, and optimization. Lucas and Luna break down how IBM, Google, and startups like PsiQuantum are integrating classical compute—specifically FPGAs and ASICs—alongside qubits to make quantum systems practical. They discuss the pro
Why Quantum Computers Need a Second Quantum Bit Type
Episode 33 of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore why leading quantum hardware labs are now building processors that combine two different types of qubits in the same chip: superconducting transmon qubits and 'cat qubits'. We break down how Amazon's AWS Center for Quantum Computing is prototyping a hybrid architecture that uses cat qubits for error suppression and tr
Why Quantum Computing Needs Photonic Chips
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the emerging role of photonic chips in quantum computing. Instead of relying solely on superconducting qubits that require extreme cryogenics, a wave of startups and labs are building quantum processors that use photons — particles of light — to encode and manipulate information. We break down the physics: how photonic qubits
Why Quantum Computing Needs a New Approach to Cryogenics Now
Episode 31 of The Quantum Computing Podcast dives into the unsung bottleneck of quantum hardware: cryogenic cooling. Lucas and Luna explore why today's dilution refrigerators—massive, costly, and power-hungry—won't scale to the thousands of qubits needed for fault-tolerant quantum computers. They examine a concrete case: Bluefors, the Finnish company that dominates the cryostat market, and the eme
How Quantum Computing Is Factoring Bigger Numbers
Episode 30 of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo dives into the latest milestone in quantum factoring: the 2026 demonstration of factoring a 1,099-digit integer using Shor's algorithm on a 256-qubit superconducting processor. Lucas and Luna break down why this is a bigger deal than previous records, how error mitigation made it possible, and what it means for RSA encryption timelines. They
Why Quantum Computers Need a New Kind of Memory
Classical RAM won't cut it for quantum computers. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the memory problem that's quietly becoming a bottleneck for scalable quantum systems. They break down why qubits are notoriously short-lived, how 'quantum RAM' or QRAM differs from what you'd find in a laptop, and what it means for workloads like error correction and database search. Specific focus on the cha
How Quantum Computing Is Going to the Edge
Episode 28 of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo explores a fresh angle: edge quantum computing. Lucas and Luna discuss why, instead of putting a quantum computer in every data center, companies like IonQ, Quantinuum, and Rigetti are developing compact, rack-mounted quantum processors that can operate at the edge—in factories, hospitals, and remote labs. They dive into how IonQ's 2025 Fort
How Quantum Computing Is Testing New Error Correction in Hardware
Episode 27 of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo gets inside the lab with a specific breakthrough: on May 7, 2026, a team at the University of Sydney published a paper demonstrating a real-time surface-code decoder implemented on an FPGA that runs at 1.2 microsecond latency — fast enough to keep up with current superconducting qubit readout cycles. Lucas and Luna break down what this means
Quantum Computing Meets Materials Discovery in 2026
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into how quantum computers are accelerating materials discovery in 2026. They focus on the specific case of IBM's 1,121-qubit Condor processor and its use by researchers at Toyota to simulate novel battery electrolytes. The hosts unpack why quantum simulation beats classical brute force for complex molecules, discus
How Quantum Computing Is Tackling Molecular Simulation Today
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the practical breakthroughs in molecular simulation enabled by quantum computers. Instead of waiting for fault-tolerant machines, researchers are already using today's noisy quantum processors to solve real chemistry problems. The hosts discuss a specific 2025 milestone: simulating a 12-atom catalyst molecule o
Why Quantum Computing Needs Optical Interconnects
This episode dives into the emerging challenge of connecting quantum processors as they scale beyond a few hundred qubits. Lucas and Luna explore why electrical interconnects break down at cryogenic temperatures and how optical links — using photons to carry quantum information — are becoming the leading solution. They discuss a specific 2025 demonstration from the startup Lightmatter showing a ph
Why Quantum Computing Needs Modular Architecture Now
Lucas and Luna explore a paradigm shift in quantum computing: moving from monolithic, all-in-one quantum processors to modular, interconnected architectures. They discuss how companies like IBM and startups like Xanadu are pursuing distributed quantum systems using photonic links and cryogenic interconnects. The episode dives into the challenge of connecting multiple small quantum modules while pr
Why Quantum Computers Need Fault-Tolerant Architecture Now
Episode 22 of The Quantum Computing Podcast dives into fault-tolerant quantum computing, the architecture shift from noisy qubits to logical qubits that can actually run useful algorithms. Lucas and Luna explain the surface code, why Google and IBM are racing to demonstrate 'below threshold' error rates by 2027, and how Microsoft's topological qubit bet could leapfrog the whole approach. They also
How Quantum Computing Is Reshaping Battery Design
Lucas and Luna explore how quantum simulations are accelerating battery R&D, using the concrete example of lithium-sulfur batteries. They discuss a 2025 paper from IBM and Mercedes-Benz that used a 65-qubit quantum processor to model electron transfer in a polysulfide molecule — something classical supercomputers still struggle with at scale. The hosts explain why quantum chemistry is the most com
Why Quantum Computers Need a New Kind of Error Correction
Lucas and Luna dig into the latest breakthrough in quantum error correction: the 'Noah' code from researchers at the University of Sydney and Yale. Unlike traditional surface codes that require thousands of physical qubits per logical qubit, Noah uses a novel concatenated approach that could cut overhead by 90%. They discuss why this matters for near-term quantum advantage, how it compares to Goog
Why Quantum Computers Need Cryogenic Packaging
Episode 19 of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo dives into the unsung hero of quantum hardware: cryogenic packaging. Lucas and Luna explore why today's dilution refrigerators and cabling are bottlenecks for scaling quantum processors beyond 1,000 qubits. They look at how companies like Quantinuum and startup Orange Quantum Systems are tackling microwave heat leaks, coaxial cable density,
Why VCs Are Betting Big on Quantum Startups Now
Venture capital investment in quantum computing startups hit $1.8 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 40% from the same period last year. Lucas and Luna break down why investors are piling in now despite quantum still being years from broad commercial viability. They look at one standout deal: the $350 million Series C for a startup called QubitCore, which is building a modular quantum pr
Why Quantum Computers Need a New Kind of Operating System
Lucas and Luna dive into the unsung software layer that could make or break quantum computing: the operating system. They explore why today's quantum OS prototypes—like those from startups and national labs—are fundamentally different from classical OSes, how they juggle qubit allocation, error correction, and gate scheduling, and why a single quantum job might need to run across multiple quantum
Quantum Computing Meets Climate Modeling in 2026
Episode 16 of The Quantum Computing Podcast looks at how quantum computers are beginning to tackle climate modeling. Lucas and Luna focus on a 2026 proof-of-concept study where researchers at a European lab used a 127-qubit processor to simulate atmospheric carbon capture at a molecular level. They discuss why classical supercomputers struggle with these calculations, the specific algorithm that m
Quantum Computing Meets Financial Portfolio Optimization in 2026
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how quantum algorithms are starting to tackle financial portfolio optimization—a problem that grows exponentially complex with each additional asset. They focus on a real-world case: a 2025 pilot where a major European bank tested a quantum-inspired algorithm on a 50-asset portfolio and found a 15% improvement in
Why Quantum Sensors Are Outpacing Quantum Computers
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore why quantum sensors, not general-purpose quantum computers, are already generating commercial revenue. They examine the physics behind nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond and the $400 million market for quantum magnetic field sensors in 2026, driven by applications in medical imaging, mineral exploration, and GPS-free navigat
Quantum Computing Meets Drug Discovery in 2026
Most people think quantum computers are still purely experimental machines locked in physics labs. But in 2026, pharmaceutical companies are quietly using quantum simulations to tackle a problem classical computers can't solve: modeling complex protein-ligand interactions for drug development. Lucas breaks down how Roche and Pfizer are running hybrid quantum-classical workflows, why a 50-qubit mac
How Quantum Computing Could Still Collide With Encryption
Lucas and Luna explore the collision course between quantum computing and modern encryption. They focus on the specific timeline risk for RSA-2048, a standard that secures trillions of dollars in online transactions. The episode unpacks why a quantum computer with just 20 million high-fidelity physical qubits could break RSA, the sobering timeline estimates from NIST and IBM, and what post-quantum
Quantum Computing's Supply Chain Is About to Get Real
Lucas and Luna explore a neglected bottleneck in quantum computing: the supply chain for ultra-cold components. At the center of the episode is a specific 2025 report from a UK-based firm called Oxford Instruments Nanoscience, which estimated that global capacity for dilution refrigerators — the devices that cool quantum processors to near absolute zero — could fall short by 40 percent by 2028 if
Quantum Computing's Energy Problem Nobody Talks About
Lucas and Luna explore the hidden power cost behind quantum computing. While headlines focus on qubit counts and error rates, a 2025 paper from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab estimated that a practical fault-tolerant quantum computer could draw 25 to 30 megawatts of power — about what a small data center or a town of two thousand homes consumes. The hosts break down where that energy goes: cryogen
Quantum Computing and the Talent War
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the fierce competition for talent in the quantum computing industry. With fewer than 5,000 qualified experts worldwide, companies like IonQ, Rigetti, and IBM are fighting for a tiny pool of PhDs and engineers. Lucas breaks down the specific roles in highest demand — quantum algorithm developers, microwave engineers, and cryog
The Crow Problem in Quantum Computing
Lucas and Luna tackle an overlooked bottleneck in quantum computing: the race to build fault-tolerant logical qubits. They break down why physical qubits alone won't scale, how logical qubits work as error-corrected units, and why the timeline to 'quantum advantage' hinges on this engineering challenge. With concrete examples from recent research milestones and a clear explanation of what a logica
Quantum Computing Software Is the Real Bottleneck
Lucas and Luna explore why quantum computing's biggest challenge today isn't hardware—it's software. They zero in on a concrete case: the difficulty of compiling quantum algorithms for noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices. With specific examples like variational quantum eigensolvers and the challenge of mapping logical qubits to physical qubits, they explain why the software layer is fa
Quantum Computing’s Next Frontier Is the Quantum Internet
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the emerging field of quantum networking and how it could reshape secure communication and distributed computing. They anchor the discussion on the recent record set by Chinese researchers who transmitted entangled photons over 1,200 kilometers via satellite, and unpack what that milestone means for building a global quantum internet. The hosts also examine
Quantum Computing's Quietest Revolution Is Superconducting Cables
Lucas and Luna explore a less-hyped but critical enabler of practical quantum computers: superconducting cables. They zero in on the specific challenge of delivering high-fidelity control signals to qubits inside dilution refrigerators without heat leakage or signal degradation. The episode examines a 2025 breakthrough from researchers at the University of Waterloo's Institute for Quantum Computin
Quantum Computing and the Materials Science Ripple Effect
Lucas and Luna explore how quantum computing is already transforming materials science, long before full fault-tolerant quantum machines arrive. They focus on a concrete example: simulating lithium-sulfur battery chemistry to reduce dendrite formation, a problem classical supercomputers can't crack. The episode discusses the transition from classical approximations to quantum models, the role of h
Quantum Supremacy Claims and the Real Benchmark Debate
Episode 3 of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo dives into the heated debate over quantum supremacy claims. Lucas and Luna unpack the landmark 2019 Google Sycamore experiment versus the 2023 Jiuzhang 3.0 photonic demonstration from China, explaining why each claim sparked controversy. They break down the key metric — random circuit sampling — and discuss whether it proves genuine advantage
Quantum Error Correction Why It Matters Now
In this episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast, Lucas and Luna dive deep into quantum error correction, the field's single biggest technical challenge. They explain why qubits are inherently error-prone, how surface codes and logical qubits work, and why a recent milestone from a startup called QuEra—demonstrating a logical gate with neutral atoms—could be more important than raw qubit count. Lu
Google Quantum Chip Willow and the Future of Computing
In the debut episode of The Quantum Computing Podcast with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into Google's new quantum chip, Willow, which achieved a milestone that would take a classical supercomputer trillions of years. They explore what Willow actually does, why it matters for error correction, and how this positions quantum computing for practical applications. Lucas explains the key metric—quantum
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