Google's 'mind-boggling' quantum chip can perform 'impossible' tasks in five minutes that take the fastest supercomputers 10 SEPTILLION years to complete

Google has taken a major step towards creating a quantum computer, after unveiling a'mind-boggling' quantum chip - its most powerful yet. Measuring 1.5-inches (4cm) – a little larger than an After Eight mint – the chip takes five minutes to complete tasks that would take conventional computers 10 septillion years. Crucially, Google's chip has demonstrated the ability to reduce computational errors exponentially as it scales up – a feat that has eluded researchers for nearly 30 years. Ultimately, the aim is to build a'commercial' quantum computer – one that could be purchased by members of the public and used in labs, offices and even homes. As this is still a decade or two away at least, for now, firms like Google and IBM are building'experimental' quantum computers that are still in the research and development phase. In the near future, scientists expect quantum computers will replace the'classical' computers at our desks and revolutionise our lives.