Quantum Tech Frenzy: Breakthroughs, Bold Alliances & Crypto Panic Rock Late August 2025

by Marcin Frąckiewicz
in Cryptocurrency, Innovation, Technology
on 29 August 2025

Key Facts

IBM & AMD’s Quantum Alliance: IBM and AMD announced a partnership to develop hybrid quantum–classical supercomputing architectures, combining IBM’s quantum computers with AMD’s high-performance CPUs/GPUs newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said this collaboration will “build a powerful hybrid model that pushes past the limits of traditional computing” newsroom.ibm.com, while AMD’s CEO Lisa Su highlighted “tremendous opportunities to accelerate discovery and innovation” newsroom.ibm.com.
China’s Photonic Quantum Leap: In Shenzhen, China broke ground on its first photonic quantum computer factory on August 28 en.people.cn. The facility, run by startup QBoson, will mass-produce photonic quantum machines that operate at room temperature with long coherence times and high qubit counts en.people.cn en.people.cn. “Photonic quantum computing…is considered a mainstream approach” that can solve complex problems with exponential speedup, said QBoson founder Wen Kai en.people.cn.
EU’s Quantum Cloud Debut: Europe concluded the QCDC project, launching its first cloud service for trapped-ion quantum computers via Innsbruck-based AQT qt.eu qt.eu. Funded by the EU, this gives European researchers independent access to quantum hardware for advanced simulations in biochemistry and materials science qt.eu qt.eu. Project leader Juris Ulmanis hailed it as “a significant step forward in making quantum computing a practical tool for researchers across Europe” qt.eu, enabling breakthroughs in drug discovery, new materials, and sustainability.
DARPA Backs Quantum Sensors: The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) kicked off Phase 1 of its Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program executivegov.com. Contracts worth ~$24.4 million were awarded to Q-CTRL (Australia/US) to develop “software-ruggedized” quantum navigation sensors for military platforms, in partnership with Lockheed Martin q-ctrl.com q-ctrl.com. Q-CTRL’s CEO Michael J. Biercuk said DARPA’s support will deliver “a new generation of…quantum sensors for the most challenging defense missions” q-ctrl.com, offering navigation resilient to GPS jamming and harsh conditions.
Quantum Warning for Cryptography: Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin warned there’s “about a 20% chance” that quantum computers could crack modern cryptography by 2030 coincentral.com, far sooner than expected. He cited the risk of “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks where adversaries hoard encrypted data to decrypt once quantum capability arrives ainvest.com ainvest.com. The call to action underscores urgency for post-quantum encryption; a 2025 industry survey found nearly half of enterprises remain unprepared for quantum threats despite new PQC standards emerging ainvest.com ainvest.com.
Quantum Healthcare Push: Cleveland Clinic announced a new round of its Quantum Innovation Catalyzer – a startup incubator giving health-tech companies access to an on-site IBM Quantum computer newsroom.clevelandclinic.org newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. Up to four startups will join a 12-month program using the IBM Quantum System One (the first healthcare-dedicated quantum computer) for projects like drug discovery and protein folding newsroom.clevelandclinic.org newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. “We are proud of the achievements of our first class of start-ups,” said Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research Information Officer, Dr. Lara Jehi, noting the program’s expansion will help new companies “leverage quantum to make breakthroughs in healthcare”* newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
30× Quantum Memory Breakthrough: Caltech researchers achieved a 30-fold increase in quantum memory lifetime by converting qubit states into high-frequency sound waves (phonons) stored in a tiny mechanical oscillator sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. The hybrid device kept quantum information coherent far longer than typical superconducting qubits sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. “These oscillators have a lifetime about 30 times longer than the best superconducting qubits out there,” said lead researcher Mohammad Mirhosseini sciencedaily.com. This sound-based memory, published in Nature Physics, could be a practical step toward scalable quantum computers that can both compute and store information sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com.
Atomic-Scale Quantum Sensing with 2D Materials: A Purdue University-led team demonstrated single-spin nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in a 2D material, achieving atomic-resolution molecular analysis using quantum sensor techniques thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. By embedding rare carbon-13 isotopes in ultrathin hexagonal boron nitride, they probed individual nuclear spins and defects via MRI-like methods thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. The carbon-13 spins showed long coherence times even at room temperature, hinting at potential as quantum bits or memories. “Conventional NMR is limited to large samples…We’re interested in detecting and analyzing a single molecule,” explained Purdue physicist Tongcang Li thequantuminsider.com. The results, published in Nature, open new possibilities for quantum sensing, materials, and communications at the nanoscale thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com.
New Quantum Simulation Platform: Startup Kothar Computing launched FORGE, a cloud-based platform to turbocharge quantum many-body simulations for researchers thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. Built on Kothar’s proprietary symbolic algebra engine, FORGE lets scientists model complex quantum physics problems in fields like condensed matter and chemistry via a simple web interface – solving in minutes tasks that once took months of coding thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. “This is the advent of simulation-driven quantum material discovery at scale,” said Kothar President Frédéric Francis thequantuminsider.com. The tool runs on classical HPC but is “quantum-ready,” aiming to bridge current supercomputing with future quantum computing capabilities thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. Early academic users are onboarding now under limited access, with broader releases expected soon thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com.

IBM & AMD Forge Quantum‑Centric Supercomputing Alliance

IBM and AMD announced a landmark partnership to co-develop “quantum-centric” supercomputing architectures that tightly integrate quantum processors with classical high-performance computers newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com. Revealed on August 26 and drawing buzz through the week, the collaboration seeks to merge IBM’s cutting-edge quantum computing technology with AMD’s CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators newsroom.ibm.com. The goal is a new class of hybrid systems where quantum co-processors tackle parts of problems (like molecular simulations) that classical systems struggle with, while classical exascale machines handle complementary tasks such as large-scale data analysis newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com.

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna emphasized the paradigm shift, noting “quantum computing will simulate the natural world and represent information in an entirely new way” – and by combining IBM quantum hardware with AMD’s advanced silicon, “we will build a powerful hybrid model that pushes past the limits of traditional computing” newsroom.ibm.com. AMD CEO Lisa Su likewise highlighted “tremendous opportunities to accelerate discovery and innovation” as the two firms explore the convergence of quantum and high-performance computing newsroom.ibm.com.

This alliance reflects a broader industry trend toward quantum-classical hybrid computing. The companies plan an initial demo by year’s end showing an IBM quantum processor working in tandem with AMD’s technology on a joint workflow newsroom.ibm.com. They’ll also leverage open-source frameworks like Qiskit to drive development of algorithms suited for this hybrid model newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com. Longer-term, the effort supports IBM’s roadmap to deliver a fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2030, with AMD’s error-correcting and interconnect expertise potentially aiding real-time quantum error correction newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com. Industry observers see the partnership as a bid to future-proof supercomputing, ensuring that as quantum hardware matures it can be seamlessly integrated into the existing computing ecosystem rather than used in isolation newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com.

China Begins Building First Photonic Quantum Computer Factory

China has commenced construction on its first-ever photonic quantum computer factory in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, signaling a major investment in scaling up quantum computing hardware production en.people.cn. The project, confirmed by local authorities on August 28 and reported via Xinhua on August 29, will be operated by Beijing-based quantum company QBoson en.people.cn en.people.cn. Once completed, the Shenzhen facility is expected to manufacture dozens of photonic quantum computers annually, establishing one of the world’s first mass-production lines for quantum machines en.people.cn. This could dramatically accelerate the availability of quantum computing power, moving from lab prototypes to deployed systems.

Photonic quantum computers use particles of light (photons) to perform computations, and do not require the ultra-low cryogenic temperatures that superconducting quantum bits do en.people.cn. This gives photonic systems practical advantages: they can run at room temperature, potentially incorporate a larger number of qubits, and maintain coherence longer without complex refrigeration infrastructure en.people.cn en.people.cn. “Quantum computing carries a massive information capacity and ultra-strong parallel processing power, allowing an exponential acceleration in solving certain computationally difficult problems,” explains Wen Kai, founder of QBoson en.people.cn. He noted that photonic quantum computing is considered a “mainstream…approach” in the field, offering a viable path to powerful quantum machines without the overhead of dilution fridges and related constraints en.people.cn.

The new factory will feature divisions for module development, full-system assembly, and rigorous testing/quality control en.people.cn. Equipment installation is slated to ramp up by the end of October 2025 en.people.cn. This initiative aligns with China’s strategic push in quantum technologies: by establishing a production hub in innovation-focused Shenzhen, China aims to assert leadership in quantum computing hardware. The output of this factory – photonic quantum computers produced at scale – could be deployed in sectors like cryptography, optimization, and artificial intelligence, both within China’s domestic market and potentially for export, marking a significant commercialization milestone in the global quantum race.

Europe Launches Quantum Cloud Access with QCDC Project

European researchers gained unprecedented home-grown access to quantum computing as the EU-funded QCDC (Quantum Computers for Datacentres) project concluded on August 28, 2025. QCDC’s success was marked by the debut of a European cloud platform for trapped-ion quantum computers, operated by Austria’s Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT) qt.eu qt.eu. This means academics and industry in Europe can remotely run experiments on state-of-the-art ion-trap quantum processors without relying on non-EU providers, bolstering European technological sovereignty qt.eu qt.eu. While current devices are still “NISQ” (noisy intermediate-scale quantum) machines and haven’t surpassed classical supercomputers yet, the project demonstrated real quantum advantages on several challenging problems qt.eu qt.eu.

During QCDC, small research teams achieved milestones like the first hardware implementation of advanced biochemical calculations and materials simulations on European quantum hardware qt.eu. In one showcase, AQT collaborated with partners including QC Ware and Covestro to simulate intermediate molecular states in the nitrogen fixation cycle using a Variational Quantum Eigensolver algorithm qt.eu qt.eu. The quantum-calculated energies closely matched classical results, validating the approach even on today’s noisy devices qt.eu. Such proof-of-concept results hint at quantum computing’s potential in chemistry, drug development, fluid dynamics, and manufacturing optimization qt.eu qt.eu.

Importantly, the project solidified Europe’s growing ecosystem. “This project represents a significant step forward in making quantum computing a practical tool for researchers across Europe,” said Juris Ulmanis, QCDC leader and AQT’s Director of Quantum Technologies qt.eu. “By giving scientists access to AQT’s world-class quantum technology, we’ve enabled them to solve problems previously out of reach… whether it’s drug discovery, designing better materials, or improving sustainability” qt.eu. With QCDC’s cloud service now live, Europe has “taken a giant leap” toward its goal of being a quantum leader by 2030 qt.eu. The European Innovation Council-backed effort is also about data security – keeping sensitive research on European soil qt.eu – as well as fostering an independent pipeline of quantum talent, applications, and startups across EU member states.

DARPA Invests $24M in Quantum Navigation Sensors (Q-CTRL Wins Big)

Quantum sensing for defense got a major boost as DARPA launched Phase 1 of its Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program and awarded significant contracts on August 27–28. Notably, Australian-American firm Q-CTRL announced it won two DARPA awards totaling A$38 million (~US$24.4 million) to develop next-generation quantum navigation sensors for use in challenging environments q-ctrl.com q-ctrl.com. The RoQS program’s mission is to transition quantum sensors from lab prototypes to field-ready devices that can provide ultra-precise navigation, timing, and detection capabilities for the military executivegov.com executivegov.com.

Q-CTRL will build “walk-on/walk-off” quantum sensors for navigation that can be installed on platforms like helicopters and operate amid real-world disturbances such as vibrations, acceleration, and electromagnetic noise executivegov.com executivegov.com. Today’s quantum sensors (e.g. atom-based accelerometers and gyroscopes) are incredibly sensitive but notoriously fragile outside lab conditions executivegov.com. DARPA is seeking rugged designs instead of partial fixes – essentially reengineering these devices to withstand the noisy, moving environments of aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles executivegov.com executivegov.com. Q-CTRL’s solution leverages its expertise in quantum control software to “harden” sensors via AI-based error suppression, eliminating the need for heavy shielding or isolation racks q-ctrl.com q-ctrl.com. The company has already proven some technologies in field trials on drones, submarines, and land vehicles, which helped it secure DARPA’s confidence q-ctrl.com q-ctrl.com. Defense giant Lockheed Martin will collaborate as a subcontractor, contributing its know-how in GPS and navigation systems q-ctrl.com.

DARPA’s endorsement is a strong signal: “The priority defense agencies are placing on quantum navigation solutions…complementing GPS” is clear, noted Lockheed’s Thomas Loftus q-ctrl.com. These quantum inertial sensors could allow navigation even when GPS signals are denied or spoofed – a critical capability for future conflict zones where GPS satellites may be jammed. Q-CTRL CEO Michael J. Biercuk celebrated the win, saying “we’re honored that our…ideas earned Q-CTRL’s selection to deliver a new generation of software-ruggedized quantum sensors for the most challenging defense missions” q-ctrl.com. The RoQS program will also explore broader defense uses (beyond just navigation), identifying where else quantum sensing (for detecting subterranean structures, communication signals, etc.) can “deliver transformational capabilities” across land, air, sea, and space domains executivegov.com executivegov.com. As Phase 1 proceeds, the insights will shape Phase 2 requirements for scaling and deploying these sensors on actual military platforms. This marks one of the largest single investments to date in applied quantum sensing, underlining the Pentagon’s view of quantum tech as a strategic advantage in the coming decades.

Cryptocurrency Faces Quantum Threat: Vitalik Buterin Sounds Alarm

Late August brought stark warnings from crypto experts about quantum computers endangering current encryption. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin cautioned that advances in quantum computing could break the cryptography underpinning Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the internet’s security far sooner than anticipated. He pointed to predictions from forecasting markets and stated there’s “seemingly about a 20% chance [this] will be before end of 2030” coincentral.com – meaning within just 5 years after 2025. This timeline is dramatically shorter than earlier estimates (the crowd-sourced Metaculus platform’s median forecast is 2040 for a cryptographically relevant quantum computer) coincentral.com coincentral.com. Buterin shared these concerns in discussions (including with cryptographer Ian Miers) and via social media on August 27, sparking headlines by August 29 coincentral.com coincentral.com.

The core issue is that quantum computers could eventually crack RSA, elliptic-curve and other algorithms that currently secure online communications and blockchain transactions ainvest.com ainvest.com. In blockchain’s case, an attacker with a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could potentially forge signatures or steal encrypted cryptocurrency keys, undermining the integrity of Bitcoin or Ethereum’s ledger. Even the perception that this is imminent could erode trust in digital assets. Security experts have long worried about “harvest now, decrypt later” tactics ainvest.com – adversaries (or nation-states) are already intercepting and storing encrypted data today, in hopes of decrypting it once they have quantum capabilities. Buterin’s 20% probability estimate for a breakthrough by 2030 amplifies the urgency of moving to quantum-resistant cryptography, as waiting until 2030 could be too late.

Encouragingly, the transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is underway but uneven. The U.S. NIST has selected new quantum-safe algorithms (like CRYSTALS-Dilithium and Falcon for digital signatures, and CRYSTALS-Kyber for encryption) and even set a “2035 mandate” for federal systems to adopt them ainvest.com. Yet a 2025 Keyfactor report found 48% of enterprises are still unprepared for quantum threats ainvest.com. In the crypto realm, some projects are proactively integrating PQC – e.g., Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) uses NIST-approved SPHINCS+ hash-based signatures, and the StarkNet layer-2 is upgrading its hash functions to quantum-resistant alternatives ainvest.com ainvest.com. These efforts have attracted investor attention (StarkWare raised over $100M in 2025, QRL’s token spiked as awareness grew) ainvest.com ainvest.com.

Buterin’s warning effectively serves as a rallying cry: the community must prioritize “crypto-agility” – the ability to swap in new cryptographic algorithms swiftly ainvest.com. The coming “quantum test” for cryptocurrency, if not met with preparation, could compromise not only blockchains but any software relying on today’s public-key encryption. His message was echoed in August 2025 by multiple analysts: organizations should start upgrading encryption now or risk catastrophe later ts2.tech. In summary, what was once a distant theoretical threat is now viewed as a tangible decadal challenge for the security of digital systems.

Quantum Computing in Healthcare: Cleveland Clinic Expands Program

Quantum technology continues its foray into healthcare, with the Cleveland Clinic announcing on August 28 a new cohort of its Quantum Innovation Catalyzer – an incubator program for startups applying quantum computing to medicine and life sciences newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. This initiative, launched originally in 2023 as part of Cleveland Clinic’s partnership with IBM, gives selected startups year-long access to an on-premises IBM Quantum System One housed at the Clinic’s campus – notably, the first dedicated healthcare quantum computer in the world newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. By providing time on this 127-qubit IBM quantum machine (installed in 2022 as part of the Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator), plus mentorship and $250,000 in seed funding, the program aims to accelerate real-world quantum applications in biotech, pharma, and healthcare delivery newsroom.clevelandclinic.org newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

Up to four startup companies will be chosen for the new round, which will run through 2026 newsroom.clevelandclinic.org newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. Participants receive operational space at Cleveland Clinic, technical support, and the opportunity to collaborate with Clinic researchers and IBM quantum experts on use cases at the intersection of quantum computing and medicine newsroom.clevelandclinic.org newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. The inaugural cohort included Qradle (an Ohio-based startup) and Algorithmiq from Finland newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. Impressively, these teams have already notched breakthroughs: Algorithmiq’s project on quantum-assisted drug discovery for cancer (using photon-activated therapies) became a finalist in the global Wellcome Leap “Quantum for Bio” challenge newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. Qradle worked on using quantum algorithms to predict protein folding structures, managing to execute an “end-to-end pipeline” on real quantum hardware that outperformed even Google’s AlphaFold 3 in accuracy newsroom.clevelandclinic.org newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. These successes underscore how quantum computing – even in its current early stage – can potentially contribute new insights in biomedical research, such as modeling complex protein interactions or genomic analytics, by exploring computational configurations beyond the reach of classical methods.

Dr. Lara Jehi, Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Research Information Officer, lauded the first cohort’s results: “We are proud of the achievements of our first class of start-ups… We look forward to welcoming the second class and helping them leverage quantum to make breakthroughs in healthcare” newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. The expansion of the program reflects growing confidence that quantum computing could transform healthcare R&D, from accelerating drug discovery (by simulating molecular chemistry more precisely) to optimizing hospital logistics or enhancing AI diagnostics. It also positions Cleveland Clinic as a pioneer in the emerging quantum medicine space, creating a hub where medical experts and quantum scientists collaborate. The new application window is open through Oct. 31, 2025, with the chosen startups to be announced in December and the program kicking off in March 2026 newsroom.clevelandclinic.org. As other medical and research institutions observe this initiative, it could serve as a model for how to proactively bring quantum computing into practical use – by nurturing an ecosystem of problem-solvers focused on pressing health challenges.

30x Longer Quantum Memory Achieved with Sound at Caltech

A team at Caltech unveiled a breakthrough that addresses one of quantum computing’s knottiest challenges: memory. In research published in Nature Physics on August 27, the scientists demonstrated a method to extend the lifetime of a quantum bit’s information by up to 30 times compared to state-of-the-art superconducting qubits sciencedaily.com. They did so by converting the qubit’s quantum state into a high-frequency sound wave (phonon) stored in a tiny mechanical resonator – essentially turning fleeting quantum information into a longer-lived acoustic vibration sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com.

Superconducting qubits (used by IBM, Google, etc.) can perform fast operations, but their quantum states typically “decohere” (lose information) in mere tens of microseconds. The Caltech device acts like a quantum analog of a drum or tuning fork on a chip: it’s a micro-fabricated mechanical oscillator coupled to a superconducting qubit sciencedaily.com. When the qubit’s state is transferred to the oscillator, the information is stored in quantized vibrations of the device’s plates sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. Lead researcher Mohammad Mirhosseini explained the rationale: “Once you have a quantum state, you might not want to do anything with it immediately…You need a quantum memory” to save it for later processing sciencedaily.com. Their measurements showed the phononic quantum state persisted for far longer: “these oscillators have a lifetime about 30 times longer than the best superconducting qubits out there,” Mirhosseini noted sciencedaily.com.

In practical terms, this could allow quantum processors to store intermediate results or entangled states while other operations are performed, a functionality crucial for scaling up quantum computers. Previous attempts at quantum memory for superconducting qubits have included coupling to particles of light (microwave photons) or using atomic defects, but phonons offer advantages: sound waves travel much slower than light, enabling more compact storage, and they don’t radiate away easily, keeping the quantum info contained sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. The Caltech team’s device operated at the same ultralow temperature as the qubits and used gigahertz-frequency acoustic modes (billions of oscillations per second) to match the qubit’s frequency sciencedaily.com. While a 30× improvement is dramatic, the absolute coherence time is still limited (on the order of milliseconds). The researchers caution that to make a truly useful quantum RAM, they need to speed up how quickly data can be written to and read from the mechanical memory, a challenge they are now tackling sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com.

Nevertheless, this result is a proof-of-concept that hybrid quantum devices (electrical + mechanical) can solve real bottlenecks. It hints at architectures where superconducting quantum chips come equipped with “memory modules” – perhaps arrays of microscopic resonators – to store quantum information between processing steps. Such an architecture might be essential for implementing quantum error correction or complex algorithms that require many sequential operations. The breakthrough also underscores the value of cross-disciplinary approaches in quantum engineering: here, borrowing techniques from nanomechanics and even concepts from quantum acoustics has opened a pathway to more robust quantum hardware sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. As quantum computers inch toward practicality, innovations like this help bridge the gap by making qubits not just powerful, but also a bit more reliable and persistent in their behavior.

Atomic-Scale Quantum Sensing Realized in 2D Material

Researchers at Purdue University and collaborators announced an advance in quantum sensing and materials: they performed single-atom nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy using spin defects in a two-dimensional material thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. This was reported in Nature (online August 23) and publicized on August 28. The feat essentially adapts the principles of MRI/NMR – normally a bulk, millimeter-scale technique – to analyze matter at the level of individual atoms using quantum sensor technology. Achieving such resolution could revolutionize how scientists probe molecular structures, with implications for chemistry, materials science, and even quantum computing.

The team, led by Prof. Tongcang Li at Purdue, created a custom sample: an ultrathin crystal of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) peppered with a small number of carbon-13 isotopes (which have a nuclear spin) thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. In effect, these carbon-13 nuclei are like tiny bar magnets embedded in a 2D material. Using advanced magnetic resonance techniques, the researchers were able to detect the magnetic field of a single carbon-13 nucleus – performing a form of NMR on one atom’s nucleus – and glean information about its immediate environment and bonding thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. “Conventional NMR spectroscopy is limited to measuring large samples of molecules. We’re interested in developing technologies that can detect and analyze a single molecule,” said Tongcang Li, highlighting the motivation thequantuminsider.com. Indeed, standard NMR requires trillions of identical molecules to get a detectable signal; here the quantum sensor approach breaks that barrier, pushing sensitivity to the extreme limit of one nuclear spin.

They achieved this by exploiting spin defects in hBN as quantum sensors. Similar to the well-known nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond used for quantum sensing, hBN defects can be sensitive to magnetic fields at the nanoscale. The carbon-13’s nuclear spin magnetic field was picked up via such a defect’s electron spin state changes, using a form of magnetic resonance force microscopy thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. By scanning and spectrally analyzing these interactions, the researchers obtained “atomic-level information about the structure of the material they created” thequantuminsider.com, effectively mapping the local atomic neighborhood of the carbon-13. The nuclear spins in this 2D material also exhibited relatively long coherence times (staying quantum mechanically coherent for longer) thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. That suggests they could serve as robust qubits or memory nodes; in fact, an exciting implication is that carbon-13 nuclei in solids might act as quantum memory at room temperature, as noted in the team’s brief.

This experiment opens a door to ultra-high-resolution microscopy: one could imagine scanning a biomolecule or novel material and reading off atomic positions and bonds one by one using quantum sensors, something impossible with classical instruments. It also crosses over to quantum information science – arrays of nuclear spins in 2D materials could form quantum registers or networks. The work was a multi-institution effort, with theory support from University of Wisconsin–Madison to match the observed signals to specific atomic configurations thequantuminsider.com. As researchers refine this technique, we edge closer to the ability to “see” the quantum world at atomic scale, turning what used to be large ensemble measurements into pinpoint diagnostics. This is not just a sensing feat; it’s also a materials science landmark, showing that 2D materials like hBN can host isolated quantum bits that are accessible and controllable, which could be useful for future quantum communication or computing devices embedded in chip-scale platforms.

Kothar Launches FORGE: A “One-Stop” Quantum Simulation Platform

In the commercial startup scene, Kothar Computing grabbed attention on August 28 with the launch of Kothar’s FORGE, a new software platform aimed at revolutionizing how scientists perform quantum simulations of complex physics problems thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. Branded as a next-generation scientific computing environment, FORGE is essentially a browser-based interface that lets researchers model and solve quantum many-body problems without needing to write extensive code or manage supercomputer resources directly thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. The platform is built atop Kothar’s proprietary Quantum Symbolic Algebraic Framework, which can compress and accelerate extremely large computations in areas like condensed matter physics, quantum chemistry, and materials science thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com.

The pitch is compelling: tasks that currently might take physicists months of setting up simulations and painstaking coding could be done in minutes via an interactive, user-friendly web application thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. Users can drag-and-drop or script high-level representations of a physical system – say, a lattice model of a new quantum material or a molecular simulation – and let FORGE handle the heavy lifting of algebraic simplification and numerical solution using a mix of classical and potential quantum resources. “This is the advent of simulation-driven quantum material discovery at scale,” said Frédéric Francis, Kothar’s President thequantuminsider.com. He explained that the goal is to “force multiply computational physicists” by raising the speed, accuracy, and scope of what can be simulated on today’s computers thequantuminsider.com. The platform leverages heterogenous computing (likely combining CPUs, GPUs, and eventually quantum processors) to maximize performance, effectively “raising the floor” on classical simulation capabilities now, and in the future “raising the ceiling” on what’s achievable with quantum computers as they come online thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com.

Kothar’s CEO Jonathon Riddell described FORGE as “a unified scientific computing platform… the universal solution to quantum physics simulation”, envisioning it as a comprehensive virtual lab where researchers can simulate phenomena, visualize results, and even draft publications all in one place thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. By integrating collaborative tools, the platform could allow teams across institutions to work together on tough problems in real time. As of launch, Kothar is onboarding its first academic users through a limited early-access program, gathering feedback before a wider release thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com. The company also signaled an upcoming showcase of results achieved with FORGE to demonstrate its power on real research questions thequantuminsider.com.

The introduction of FORGE highlights the broader trend of quantum software companies focusing on near-term value: even before fault-tolerant quantum computers arrive, tools that improve simulation of quantum systems on classical hardware (often called “quantum-inspired” computing) are in demand. Complex quantum many-body calculations – like predicting new materials with exotic properties or understanding high-temperature superconductivity – often overwhelm classical computing approaches. Kothar’s bet is that an intelligent software layer, incorporating breakthroughs in symbolic math and algorithms, can push these frontiers now, and seamlessly incorporate quantum computing accelerators later. This could help bridge the gap between theorists and experimentalists, allowing more researchers to tap into advanced simulations without needing specialized coding skills. In sum, Kothar’s FORGE is positioning itself as a catalyst for faster scientific discovery in quantum physics and beyond, riding the momentum of the quantum tech boom with a very practical offering for today’s researchers.

Sources: Official announcements and news reports from IBM newsroom.ibm.com newsroom.ibm.com, Xinhua/People’s Daily en.people.cn en.people.cn, Quantum Flagship qt.eu, Q-CTRL q-ctrl.com q-ctrl.com, ExecutiveGov executivegov.com, Vitalik Buterin via CoinCentral coincentral.com, AInvest ainvest.com ainvest.com, Cleveland Clinic Newsroom newsroom.clevelandclinic.org, ScienceDaily (Caltech) sciencedaily.com, Nature/Quantum Insider (Purdue) thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com, The Quantum Insider (Kothar) thequantuminsider.com thequantuminsider.com.