Harvard physicists have developed the first continuously operating quantum computer, running for more than two hours without interruption and potentially indefinitely.
Until now, most quantum machines lasted milliseconds, with the longest recorded runtime about 13 seconds. The Harvard team overcame the problem of qubit loss by replenishing atoms in real time using an optical lattice conveyor belt and optical tweezers.
The system contains 3,000 qubits and can inject 300,000 atoms per second, allowing information to be preserved as older particles escape. The findings were produced with MIT collaborators and mark a turning point in quantum research.
Researchers say machines capable of running indefinitely could arrive within two to three years, accelerating progress in medicine, finance, and cryptography. Harvard has heavily invested in the field, launching one of the first PhD programmes in quantum science.
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A team of physicists at the California Institute of Technology has unveiled a quantum computing breakthrough, creating an array of 6,100 qubits, the largest of its kind to date.
The leap surpasses previous systems, which typically contained around a thousand qubits, and marks a step closer to practical quantum algorithms.
Researchers used caesium atoms as qubits, trapping them with laser tweezers inside an ultra-high-vacuum chamber.
These qubits maintained superposition for almost 13 seconds, nearly ten times longer than previous benchmarks. They could also be manipulated with 99.98 percent accuracy, proving that scaling up need not compromise precision.
Unlike classical bits, qubits exploit superposition, allowing a spread of probabilities instead of fixed binary states. It enables powerful computations but also demands error correction to overcome qubit fragility. The surplus qubits in this new array provide a path to large, error-corrected machines.
Physicists believe the next milestone will involve harnessing entanglement, enabling the shift from storing quantum information to processing it. If progress continues, quantum computers could soon revolutionise science by uncovering new materials, forms of matter, and fundamental laws of physics.
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The Dutch quantum ecosystem has unveiled Tuna-5, a new open-architecture quantum computer developed as part of the HectoQubit/2 (HQ/2) project.
Unlike the vertically integrated machines offered by some commercial providers, Tuna-5 demonstrates a collaborative model that draws on interoperable hardware and software from across the Netherlands.
Built through a partnership between QuTech, TNO, and four Dutch startups — QuantWare, Qblox, Orange Quantum Systems, and Delft Circuits — Tuna-5 is now accessible via the Quantum Inspire public cloud platform.
The system integrates a superconducting quantum processor with tunable couplers, modular electronics, a user-friendly interface, and a Python-based SDK, all developed using components from the Delft quantum supply chain.
QuTech described the approach as more than simply combining parts from different vendors. It involved extensive testing and iterations to ensure a seamless system, which also helped strengthen the Netherlands’ capability to deliver scalable, interoperable quantum technology.
Hosted in QuTech’s DiCarlo lab and backed by Quantum Delta NL and the National Growth Fund, HQ/2 is designed to reinforce Dutch leadership in superconducting quantum computing.
Tuna-5 marks a step forward for academic and startup collaboration instead of relying solely on centralised industry giants.
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French quantum computing startup Quandela has unveiled Belenos, a 12-qubit photonic quantum computer that it claims delivers 4,000 times more computing power than its predecessor.
The first integrated version is set to be delivered to EuroHPC/GENCI and operated at the CEA’s Très Grand Centre de Calcul (TGCC) before the end of 2025.
Currently, Belenos is accessible via the cloud to over 1,200 researchers across 30 countries in Europe, North America, and Asia.
Instead of relying solely on local deployments, this cloud availability enables researchers to explore hybrid HPC-quantum use cases in fields such as structural mechanics, meteorology, and materials science.
Quandela has ambitious plans to double the qubit count by 2026 with the launch of Canopus. Within three years, the company aims to develop a photonic quantum computer with more than 40 qubits, continuing its focus on systems that avoid cryogenic cooling by using photonics-based methods instead.
‘Our cloud-accessible Belenos system lets partners work on tasks where computing speed and operations per data point are crucial — areas where competitors fall short,’ said co-founder and CEO Niccolo Somaschi.
The platform is designed for practical applications in machine learning and at the AI-quantum interface, which Quandela views as strategically vital sectors for the future.
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