Dmitry Pobedinsky: "Quantum computers will change the future"
What is graphene, where can it be used, and why isn't it produced on an industrial scale? Are the latest telescopes capable of finding an Earth-like planet? Answers to these and other questions were given in the lecture "Achievements of Modern Physics" by Dmitry Pobedinsky, graduate of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, physicist, and popular science blogger. The event took place at the National Centre RUSSIA on Russian Science Day, 8 February.
"Physics as a science is over 300 years old. And in the last quarter-century, truly outstanding discoveries have been made in this field. Many of them will enter textbooks. And based on these discoveries, technologies will be created that will firmly enter human life. These discoveries are our future," said Dmitry Pobedinsky.
He added that quantum computers could change the future of humanity, primarily by improving the speed of computation in certain spheres. Specific tasks that take weeks or years today could be solved almost instantly by a sufficiently powerful quantum computer. However, the emergence of such computers, along with obvious benefits, will also raise other questions. The expert noted that a quantum computer could easily crack popular encryption systems.
"When a powerful quantum computer appears, it could handle this task significantly faster. Therefore, many approaches in cryptography will have to be reconsidered. There is no such computer yet, so there's no need to worry. Nobody will read your private correspondence. But preparing for a world with powerful quantum computers is necessary. Moreover, quantum cryptography already exists, providing phenomenal encryption reliability. This technology has been well-developed and can be applied," explained Dmitry Pobedinsky.
Exploring the theme of future technologies, the expert spoke about graphene. This is a material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms. According to the blogger and science communicator, it possesses amazing properties. For example, it has high electrical and thermal conductivity, making it convenient for use in microelectronics. Graphene can be used to improve the efficiency of solar panels. It could be useful for water purification and much more.
"But then why, since the Nobel Prize was awarded in 2010 for graphene research, has no revolution occurred? It turned out that industrial production of graphene is a very complex task. That's why its implementation is progressing so slowly. But, at the very least, graphene is slowly starting to be added to batteries. This, albeit not by much yet, increases their capacity," added Dmitry Pobedinsky.
The lecturer also touched upon questions related to space exploration. In particular, he spoke about dark energy and black holes. Separately, he focused on the study of exoplanets. According to him, scientists currently count over eight thousand exoplanets. And this number is constantly growing.
On Russian Science Day, an open conversation took place at the National Centre RUSSIA about how the scientific ecosystem is structured today, where it is heading, and why scientists are the new heroes. The event brought together over 2,000 scientists, experts, and students from across the country.
The event was organised by the National Centre RUSSIA with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the VCIOM Analytical Centre and the Russian society Znanie.
The recording of the livestream of Russian Science Day at the National Centre RUSSIA is available on the website russia.ru.
