May 19, 2026—Quantum computing promises to revolutionize the world, but when? Plus, we talked to an American in quarantine for exposure to hantavirus, and researchers discovered a copy of the world's oldest poem written in English.

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A visitor washes his hands before entering Kyeshero Hospital as part of Ebola prevention measures in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 18, 2026. Jospin Mwisha / AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. banned travel from three African countries as the Ebola outbreak spreads. At least six Americans are believed to have been exposed to the virus, and one person who appears to have contracted the virus has been evacuated to Germany. | 2 min read
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A Quantum Computing Reckoning

More than 40 years ago physicists Paul Benioff and Richard Feynman independently suggested that machines harnessing the quantum realm’s weirdness could, in theory, outperform classical computers at some tasks. Unlike classical computers, which use bits that are either zero or one, quantum computers use qubits that can exist in superpositions and become entangled with one another (and their local environments).

How it works: Qubits can exist in superpositions of zero and one, similar to Schrödinger’s cat being both alive and dead until someone opens the box (and measures the outcome). By carefully controlling entanglement among qubits while shielding them from decoherence (being measured) caused by the surrounding environment, researchers can perform calculations that would be impossible or impractically slow for conventional computers. Watch this video explainer for more.

Schematic shows a classical bit as a disc with two discrete sides. The disk shows one side (0) or the other side (1). A quantum bit is represented as a sphere, with a range of a combination of states possible. Ultimately, the system outputs 0 or 1.

Ben Gilliland

The challenges: Researchers still face significant challenges in scaling quantum computers, controlling decoherence, implementing quantum error correction and proving that quantum systems can consistently outperform classical computers on practical problems. The hurdles:

The best way to make a qubit. One leading approach involves superconducting circuits, which are fast and compatible with conventional chip fabrication techniques. Another method utilizes trapped atoms or ions, which maintain coherence longer.
Qubits can easily fall out of superposition. So researchers use quantum error correction to detect and fix mistakes without destroying quantum states. One way is through redundancy—assembling groups of qubits into “logical qubits" so that an error in a single physical qubit matters less. But current methods may require hundreds or thousands of physical qubits per logical qubit.
What should they do? Quantum computers are expected to excel only at specialized problems, such as factoring huge numbers with Shor’s algorithm (which calculates the factors of very large numbers much faster than a standard computer) or simulating quantum systems in chemistry, materials science and physics.

Schematic shows the same base maze in two panels. In the first—labelled “classical computer”—a single line is drawn as if a pencil traced a single person’s path through the maze over time. The line encounters many dead ends, doubling back to the last decision point and then continuing on. In the second—labelled “quantum computer”—lines trace all paths at once. No doubling back is needed. When one line hits a dead end, it simply stops. Another line is already forging ahead.

Ben Gilliland; Source: “The Qubit,” by Massine Kelai/Center for Quantum Nanoscience (https://qns.science/thequbit) (reference)

Why this matters: If it can be scaled and improved, quantum computing may enable breakthroughs in drug discovery, materials design, climate modeling, physics research and cryptography, while deepening our understanding of the quantum nature of the universe.

I'll be back tomorrow with a deep dive into what kinds of things the quantum computer of the (near?) future might be used for.

PUZZLER

Beige, white and black puzzle pieces scattered on a gray background.

Unscramble this image of our cover from the August 1961 issue. The assembled image shows three small sea creatures eating parasites and dead tissue from three larger fish. This type of symbiotic relationship proved more common among aquatic animals than scientists had thought.

Of all the scientific topics I've edited over the years, by far quantum mechanics is the most mind-bending: Realities are both happening and not, time is both traveling forward and backward, objects can influence each other across light years. Such observations feel profoundly alien, even though scientists will say that such behavior underlies every facet of reality. Understand it or not, quantum science is inextricably a part of us.

Thanks for reading and send any feedback to: newsletters@sciam.com. Until tomorrow!

—Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

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Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Today in Science: Quantum computing is facing a reckoning

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Today in Science: Quantum computing is facing a reckoning

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