Could 2026 be the year we start using quantum computers for chemistry? Whether quantum computers can actually solve practical problems is one of the biggest unanswered questions of this growing industry - and one that might be answered by researchers in industrial and medical chemistry in 2026. Calculating the structure, reactivity and other chemical properties of a molecule is an intrinsically quantum problem because it involves its electrons, which are quantum particles. But the more complex a molecule is, the harder these calculations become, in some cases posing a real challenge even for traditional supercomputers. On the other hand, because quantum computers are also intrinsically quantum, they should have an advantage when it comes to tackling these chemical calculations.

How conspiracy theories infiltrated the doctor's office As anyone who has googled their symptoms and convinced themselves that they've got a brain tumor will attest, the internet makes it very easy to self-(mis)diagnose your health problems. And although social media and other digital forums can be a lifeline for some people looking for a diagnosis or community, when that information is wrong, it can put their well-being and even lives in danger. We spoke to a number of health-care professionals who told us how this modern impulse to "do your own research" is changing their profession. This story is part of's series " Look at the big picture instead. As a climate technology reporter, I'm often asked by people whether they should be using AI, given how awful it is for the environment. Generally, I tell them not to worry--let a chatbot plan your vacation, suggest recipe ideas, or write you a poem if you want.

Quantinuum has unveiled a third-generation quantum computer that could be easier to scale up than rival approaches. The USand UK-based company Quantinuum today unveiled Helios, its third-generation quantum computer, which includes expanded computing power and error correction capability. Like all other existing quantum computers, Helios is not powerful enough to execute the industry's dream money-making algorithms, such as those that would be useful for materials discovery or financial modeling. But Quantinuum's machines, which use individual ions as qubits, could be easier to scale up than quantum computers that use superconducting circuits as qubits, such as Google's and IBM's. "Helios is an important proof point in our road map about how we'll scale to larger physical systems," says Jennifer Strabley, vice president at Quantinuum, which formed in 2021 from the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum. Honeywell remains Quantinuum's majority owner.

Researchers at the quantum computing firm Quantinuum used a new Helios-1 quantum computer to simulate a mathematical model that has long been used to study superconductivity. These simulations are not out of reach for conventional computers, but this advance sets the stage for quantum computers to become useful tools for materials science . Superconductors conduct electricity with perfect efficiency, but they currently only work at temperatures too low to be practical. For decades, physicists have been trying to understand how to tweak their structure to make them work at room temperature, and many believe answers will come from a mathematical framework called the Fermi-Hubbard model. This potential makes it one of the most important models in all condensed matter physics, says Quantinuum's Henrik Dreyer . Conventional computers can run exceptional simulations of the Fermi-Hubbard model but struggle with very large samples or cases where the materials it describes change over time.

Belgian physicist and musician Prof Bob Coecke, 55, wants to teach quantum physics to a mass audience. The paradox-filled theory that describes the microscopic realm has become a staple of science fiction, from Marvel's Ant-Man to the multiple Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once. It's famously bizarre and, in the UK, the subject is mostly reserved for undergraduates specialising in physics because it requires grappling with complicated maths. But Coecke, a former Oxford professor, has devised a maths-free framework using diagrams for total beginners, outlined in Quantum in Pictures, his book with Dr Stefano Gogioso that was published earlier this year. Over the summer, they ran an education experiment, teaching the pictorial method to UK schoolchildren – who then beat the average exam scores of Oxford University's postgraduate physics students.

The latest work by computer scientists Bob Coecke and Stefano Gogioso, 'Quantum in Pictures', aims to make the quantum world more accessible and inclusive. So, whether you're a high school student or a science enthusiast, the authors are confident that anyone mastering the tools in the book will gain an understanding equivalent to that of a quantum mechanics graduate at university. But what if a complete novice in quantum computing, i.e., this reviewer, could gain a genuine understanding of the field by simply reading this book? Let's test this out, shall we? Full disclosure from the get-go, I have absolutely no prior knowledge or expertise in quantum computing, therefore Coecke and Gogioso's latest research and book is not only worthy of a review but also a lesson for someone who barely scraped a C in GSCE Maths – a learning curve, if you will. For context, 'Quantum in Pictures' is the brainchild of Quantinuum's chief scientist Professor Bob Coecke and Dr Stefano Gogioso of Oxford University. The book introduces a formalism for quantum mechanics based on using'ZX-calculus' (or'ZX'), to describe quantum processes.

Quantum computing has experienced unprecedented growth and interest over the last two years due in large part to companies like Honeywell, IBM, Google, and Intel. We've also seen new up and coming players like IonQ and Rigetti step into the foray to advance the technology. And while the field is still rapidly evolving, there has been some major advancements as companies have tapped into the power of quantum computing to help with research and development in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, mitigate risk in the finance industry, and aid in cybersecurity across a multitude of industries. But I don't think the growth will stop there. In my Digital Transformation Trends predictions for 2021, I proposed that Quantum would go mainstream, and while it missed the 2022 list, I do think the momentum will continue for Quantum this year.