This article contains spoilers for Arcane season 2. Netflix and Riot Games created one of the most acclaimed video game adaptations of all time with the original animated series Arcane, set in the world of League of Legends. After premiering in 2021, the series returned for its climactic second season in 2024, concluding the fiery saga of sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) and the fate of the fantasy city of Piltover and its undercity Zaun. The first season dialed up this sibling rivalry to explosive proportions, as Jinx’s reckless antics threatened the fragile peace in place. The second season only ups the complicated family dynamics between its main characters, expanding the scope and depth of familial strife while escalating the consequences and actions as roles are subverted and reversed throughout the story. Whereas Jinx was branded a terrorist in the first season, the second season sees the unpredictable, explosive figure being regarded by Piltover’s populace as a freedom fighter against its totalitarian rule. Meanwhile, Vi grows increasingly erratic and volatile in her own life in the wake of tyranny’s rise, making the two sisters’ inevitable reunion all the more awkward. For showrunner Christian Linke, this narrative inversion proved to be “really fun to think about.” “It’s a really complex moment, when Jinx can say ‘Maybe you’re the baddie,’” Linke says. “So much of the show is about seeing the world through the lens of the other side. I think that is the quintessential moment for them, when they have to question how they see their sibling, at which point, they have a very loaded perspective of each other.” This reconciliation in the face of a common enemy leads to the sisters reuniting with their long-lost father Vander (JB Blanc), now resurrected as the feral werewolf-like monster Warwick. Leaning into the inherent horror offered by prominently featuring such a bloodthirsty creature, Warwick’s inclusion also underscored Arcane’s tendency to go to the extremes, in regards to tone and visceral action. More than just presenting another adversary, Vander’s transformation into Warwick also gave the show the opportunity to highlight more of Vander’s backstory as he reunites with his adopted daughters in the mines he worked in as a human. “He went back to this familiar place from his past and he didn’t know why because it got twisted for him,” writer Amanda Overton observes. “That mining room is the first time that [Vi and Jinx]  got to see their father figures as brothers. It just reframed everything for the family dynamics for them.” The season also features a surprise interlude with Ekko (Reed Shannon) traveling to a parallel reality where he acquires a time-reversal device crucial to the series’ final battle. More than just giving Ekko this game-changing item, the episode’s lighter tones and depictions of familiar faces gave Arcane the chance to explore elements that the creative team felt were more romantic and more fun in certain aspects. Overton reflected that more than making Ekko the one to turn the tide in the climax, it restored his faith in Zaun’s potential as well as Powder, the innocent person who Jinx used to be. “In his own world, he lost that faith,” Overton says. “He lost that vision. He had a vision of Zaun that was very similar to that and he lost his faith in it. He needed to see that it was possible in order to fight for that again and also to believe in Jinx again – Powder again.” This complexity and conflict between familial figures isn’t isolated to Vi and Jinx, but also between Jayce Talis (Kevin Alejandro) and Viktor (Harry Lloyd), who see each other as brothers. Though Viktor recognized the destructive potential of Hextech, the technology he and Jayce created, Jayce not only didn’t follow through on Viktor’s wish for him to destroy it, but used the unstable tech to resurrect Viktor. This turned Viktor into a figure poised to use his connection to Hextech to inadvertently destroy Zaun and Piltover, placing him in direct conflict with Jayce over the fate of the city. “A lot of season one was about creating the dream technology that could change the world,” Linke says. “When it gets turned into weapons and they lose control, that’s when Jayce and Viktor react very differently. They’re also a little bit shocked by the other’s reaction to that. We always knew that there would be a different conclusion when they’re confronted with this reality that humans will use this technology for their own motives and for their selfish goals” Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! “That was also the fabric of season two, the things that you can’t see and that you can’t control,” Overton adds. “That’s why Viktor, when he goes down to the Undercity, he does his part to make that his little utopian commune. He’s trying to make what the topside has down here and try to compress that gap. It’s beautiful and wonderful, but even that goes awry for him. They always intended the right things, had great intentions, and could not see the consequences of those actions.” A beautiful narrative expansion of the world of League of Legends, Arcane ends on a high and hopeful note, amidst all the conflict and loss to get there. And from its vibrantly animated cities to its memorable and nuanced characters, the Netflix original series has once again set the bar for what video game adaptations can and should be. Available to stream on Netflix, Arcane lives up to the hype as one of the most engrossing and heartfelt animated series around. Both seasons of Arcane are available to stream on Netflix now.

Pictured Above: The living room designed by Geoffrey De Sousa featuring the Fold Sofa by John Pomp Studios in Terra Mohair and a pair of Todo Modo Chairs by Jean-Michel Wilmotte.There’s no shortage of inspiration at this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase, where 20 top-tier designers reimagine 28 spaces inside a sprawling 9,400-square-foot, five-level Pacific Heights mansion—all in just fourteen weeks. “Each year, the San Francisco Decorator Showcase brings together an extraordinary roster of the region’s most talented interior and landscape designers,” said Geoffrey De Sousa, Chair of the Showcase Design Advisory Board and one of this year’s featured designers. “This year's designs push creative boundaries while honoring the home's architectural heritage. Visitors can expect an immersive, inspiring experience curated by the very best in the business.”As with any good showhouse, we look to these rooms not just for their spectacle but for take-home inspiration. This year's showcase delivered in spades. Design-forward trends we’ve been predicting were on full display—like the sculptural seating silhouettes in De Sousa’s artfully curated living room and Navarra Design Inc.’s modern, mood-rich library. Nash Design Group’s “Global Nest” featured a boldly pink toilet in its ensuite, proving playful color is officially bathroom-approved. And ceiling lighting—often the final frontier in residential design—took center stage in JKA Design’s rooftop listening lounge. Outdoor areas were just as captivating, with Katharine Webster and Strata Landscape Architecture crafting lush, livable escapes.But what makes a showcase truly compelling are the new ideas. With tight timelines and unique parameters, this kind of project challenges designers to think on their feet—and go big. “The transformation of the Showcase home is nothing short of remarkable,” said Stephanie Yee, Executive Director of the Showcase. “Behind the scenes, our designers pour their talent, creativity, and countless hours into bringing their visions to life—all under incredibly tight deadlines.” The results? Jaw-dropping. From painterly wall treatments to custom furniture that could moonlight as movie set pieces, this year's home left us buzzing about where design is headed next.The San Francisco Decorator Showcase is open through May 26 and benefits the financial aid program at San Francisco University High School. If you’re in the Bay Area over Memorial Day weekend, consider this your must-do. Tickets are available via Eventbrite—and don’t miss the live music night on May 23.Can’t make it in person? Don’t worry—we’ve rounded up the 10 must-see trends straight from the halls of this extraordinary home.For even more design inspiration:

Today’s best deals are kicking off with the return of $100 price drops on both the 42mm and 46mm Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 with offers starting from $299. Next we quickly touch down with a new all-time low on the 256GB iPad mini 7 at $144 off alongside a notable open-box offer with a full Apple warranty that has the most affordable M4 iPad Pro at up to $190 off the going rate. Those offers join deals on Apple Magic Mouse, portable SSDs for iPhone, and more.  As part of its Memorial Day sale, Amazon has brought back some of its all-time low pricing on Apple’s latest gear and next up is Apple Watch Series 10. While not all configurations are seeing the $100 price drops, you will once again find both the 42mm and the 46mm Jet Black models starting from $299 shipped (select colors only). Details below. Back in late April we saw most of the Apple Watch Series 10 configurations drop $100, just like we have here today on the Jet Black case and select others. This is on par with the lowest price we have tracked at Amazon and all major retailers online, outside of a few very limited and YMMV deals in-store. Previous to that, just after Series 10 launched last fall, the best we had tracked for the Black Friday and holiday season last year was at $70 off. 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 $299 (Reg. $399) 46mm Apple Watch Series 10 $329 (Reg. $429) 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cell $429 (Reg. $499) 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 Titanium GPS + Cell $629 (Reg. $699) 46mm Apple Watch Series 10 Titanium GPS + Cell $659 (Reg. $749) As you can see from the list above, only the base model, and likely most popular configurations are seeing the $100 price drops right now – the Wi-Fi + Cell and select titanium models are now $30 above our previous mention. While it very much seems like the early Memorial Day deals on the base models are just a sign of things to come – for the most part this year, all models usually see the same price drop – it’s hard to say whether or not Amazon will bring back the full sweep of $100 discounts across all configurations at this point. Get a comprehensive look at the Series 10 in our hands-on review. Costco now offering new all-time low on 256GB iPad mini 7 at $144 off, deals from $399 Early Memorial Day deals usher in up to $110 price drops on latest iPad mini 7, matching all-time lows from $399 While we have seen some sizable price drops on the higher-end configurations of Apple’s M4 iPad Pro– some has high as $250 and even $300, the deals on the more affordable models are never quite as deep. Typically more like $100 off and sometimes as much as $150 when Amazon decides to get aggressive with on-page coupons, usually during holiday events, but Best Buy open-box listings with full Apple warranties are now up to $190 off on the most affordable model. Details below. Again, you can score the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro with the 256GB storage capacity at $100 off right now at Amazon, and rarely at $150 off, but never quite as low as Best Buy is offering right now. For folks who don’t already know the drill, we are only featuring the very best “excellent” condition units here, those that are said to work and look like new while shipping with a full 1-year Apple warranty – here’s how pricing works out right now on the most affordable M4 iPad Pro model: Open-box 11-inch M4 iPad Pro silver $809 (Reg. $999 new) Open-box 11-inch M4 iPad Pro Space Black $826 (Reg. $999 new) These are both the best prices we can find on an open-box unit from a dealer as reputable as Best Buy, not to mention the full Apple warranty here. They are also covered under Best Buy’s official Return & Exchange Promise. Apple’s 13-inch M4 MacBook Air now starting back down at $850 ($149 off) Rare deal knocks Apple’s latest USB-C Magic Mouse down to $68 shipped today Level’s complete Apple Home Key smart Lock+ Connect bundle is up to $145 off for today only Today’s accessories and charging deals: Current-gen open-box Apple Pencils up to $62 off: Pro, 2nd Gen, and USB-C, or brand-new at nearly 25% off Update: While we did see the yellow and pink colorways very briefly drop to $278 or so, those deals were very short-lived and never landed on the silver and blue options. All four colorways are now back down at $299 shipped via Amazon. Details below in the original post. Previously limited to just the blue and yellow colors, Amazon is now offering all four shades of Apple’s new iPad (A16) down at the $299 shipped all-time low. It might not be the powerful M4 iPad Pro or the M3 series iPad Air (also now at all-time low pricing), but this is a brand new iPad that just released a couple months ago at under $300. You’ll now find all four colorways of the base model 11-inch iPad running on the A16 chip with a Liquid Retina Display, 12MP front and back cameras, Touch ID, and 128GB of storage down at $299. That’s $50 off the regular $349 list price and the lowest we have tracked to date. Today’s deals mark the first time we have seen all four models at under $320 anywhere online. 128GB iPad (A16) from $299 (Reg. $349) 256GB iPad (A16) from $399 (Reg. $449) 512GB iPad (A16) from $599 (Reg. $649) The same thing goes for the upgraded 256GB and 512GB models that are both now $50 off in all four colorways. These are the same prices we have been tracking lately on these two, but again, you’ll now find all four colorways in-stock at the discounted rate. For some, the new iPad A16 is just too underpowered to consider, despite the particularly notable price we are featuring here today, and we get it. For others however – those that just never use Apple Intelligence anyway and just need a casual tablet experience for couch browsing, video chatting, and road trips – it’s a chance to score a brand new iPad release for a whole lot less. This is $100 under the best deal we have ever tracked on the iPad mini 7 and $200 below the current all-time low we are tracking on the most affordable M3 iPad Air. Our launch coverage over at 9to5Mac details the new iPad (A16) completely. Apple’s latest USB-C AirPods Max now nearly $80 off for Memorial Day, or up to $130 off open-box w/ 1-yr. warranty As part of the Amazon Memorial Day sale, and just after the highly-anticipated launch of the new Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, you’ll now find Apple’s latest USB-C AirPods Max over-ear headphones marked down to $479.99 shipped. Regularly $549, this is on par with our previous mention at nearly $80 off the list price. Head below for more details and a chance to save even more on some open-box listing. Reports from over the weekend sourced from a trusted Apple analysts suggest the AirPods hardware upgrades might not be coming until next year, with a proper AirPods Max revision getting potentially held off until sometime in 2027. That’s not great news for fans of Apple’s premium over-ears, but it does also mean that an investment now will leave you with Apple’s latest and greatest for a couple years or so. While we did see a short-lived opportunity earlier this year to land a set at $99 off, they do no often drop below the $480 we are seeing here today – all of the latest USB-C colors are now on sale. We are also tracking some opportunities to save on almost all of the latest USB-C colorways in “excellent” open-box condition courtesy of Best Buy. They are said to work and look like new with a full 1-year Apple warranty included. Midnight $446 (Reg. $549 new) Blue $441 (Reg. $549 new) Purple $446 (Reg. $549 new) Starlight $437 (Reg. $549 new) Orange $419 (Reg. $549 new) Anyone buying a new set of over-ear headphones right now should definitely have the new Sony WH-1000XM6on their radar. After getting a chance to test them out ahead of the world wide debut last week, I can confidently say they are easily the most exciting release in the headphone world for some time. They are now available for purchase and all of the details you need are waiting right here. Ember’s Apple Find My-equipped Travel Mug 2+ with temperature control at $148 (Reg. $200) SANDMARC upgrades your iPhone photos with new radiant multi-point Star Filter, here’s an exclusive launch deal UGREEN’s Find My AirTag alternative is now down at just $10 Prime shipped Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Billionaire Elon Musk made a bafflingly childish appearance this week at Bloomberg's Qatar Economic Forum.While being asked some hard — but entirely fair — questions by UK broadcaster Mishal Husain, covering topics such as his highly questionable work at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, the massive hits Tesla has taken as a result, and the glaring conflict of interests facing his space venture SpaceX, Musk appeared to be completely unprepared.At multiple points during the interview, Musk lashed out at Husain, accusing her of being an "NPC," which is gamer lingo for a "non-playable character," and refusing to give her more than one-word answers.After Husain pointed out DOGE has fallen extremely short of Musk's goal of slashing $2 trillion from the government's budget, the mercurial CEO had a bizarre retort."I mean, I feel you’re somewhat trapped in the NPC dialogue tree of a traditional journalist," he said. "So it’s difficult when I’m conversing with someone who’s trapped in the dialogue tree of a conventional journalist because it’s like talking to a computer."That was a particularly eyebrow-raising line given that Musk has built a multibillion-dollar business around mindlessly talking to computers via xAI, his company that offers a chatbot called Grok.And in reality, he's getting the dynamic backwards. It's the AI chatbots, not the human journalists, that tend to grovel at the feet of users and cave at virtually any sign of confrontation.As such, the interview perfectly summarizes Musk's distorted worldview and disconnection from reality. Critics have long pointed out that the billionaire has surrounded himself with sycophants who rarely say no to him, meaning that he's increasingly started to crumble under pressure when faced with difficult questions.Now that his popularity has fallen off a cliff following a bewildering embrace of far-right viewpoints over the last few years, Musk finds himself on the back foot. And considering his petulant appearance this week, he's clearly still struggling to take accountability for his incredibly damaging actions.Instead, Musk tried to paint himself as the victim."Massive violence was threatened against me," he told her, referring to the international anti-Tesla movement his actions have given rise to. "Who are these people? Why would they do that? How wrong can they be? They’re on the wrong side of history."Unsurprisingly, the billionaire used the interview to further a widely discredited conspiracy theory about a "white genocide" occurring in South Africa. That's a topic his chatbot Grok squeezed into unrelated answers last week following a bizarre "unauthorized modification" being made to its underlying tech."Why do you like racist laws?" Musk probed Husain, squarely pointing at her through the camera after interrupting her, leading to nervous laughter at the event.Musk's relationship with journalists has been rocky, to say the least. Earlier this year, he called Wall Street Journal reporter Katherine Long a "disgusting and cruel person" after she found that he had armed an underqualified 25-year-old to infiltrate the US Treasury's payments system.Later that month, he called for CBS News journalists to get a "long prison sentence" for being the "biggest liars in the world."Musk has made it clear that he's in no mood for constructive conversation. The self-avowed free speech absolutist has a long track record of suspending journalists critical of him on his social media platform X-formerly-Twitter.During his descent into the far right, Musk has convinced himself that the so-called "woke" media has had it out for him, despite repeatedly furthering easily disproven conspiracy theories and spreading disinformation himself.More on Musk: Elon Musk Says Being Tesla CEO Might Kill HimShare This Article

May 21, 2025Ravie LakshmananMalware / Artificial Intelligence Counterfeit Facebook pages and sponsored ads on the social media platform are being employed to direct users to fake websites masquerading as Kling AI with the goal of tricking victims into downloading malware. Kling AI is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform to synthesize images and videos from text and image prompts. Launched in June 2024, it's developed by Kuaishou Technology, which is headquartered in Beijing, China. As of April 2025, the service has a user base of more than 22 million, per data from the company. "The attack used fake Facebook pages and ads to distribute a malicious file which ultimately led to the execution of a remote access Trojan (RAT), granting attackers remote control of the victim's system and the ability to steal sensitive data," Check Point said. First detected in early 2025, the campaign leads unsuspecting users to a spoofed website such as klingaimedia[.]com or klingaistudio[.]com, where they are asked to create AI-generated images or videos directly in the browser. However, the website does not generate the multimedia count as advertised. Rather, it offers the option to a purported image or video that, in reality, is a malicious Windows executable hidden using double extensions and Hangul Filler (0xE3 0x85 0xA4) characters. The payload is included in a ZIP archive and acts as a loader to launch a remote access trojan and a stealer that then establishes contact with a command-and-control (C2) server and exfiltrates browser-stored credentials, session tokens, and other sensitive data. The loader, besides monitoring for analysis tools such as Wireshark, OllyDbg, Procmon, ProcExp, PeStudio, and Fiddler, makes Windows Registry changes to set up persistence and launches the second-stage by injecting it into a legitimate system process like "CasPol.exe" or "InstallUtil.exe" to evade detection. The second-stage payload, obfuscated using .NET Reactor, is the PureHVNC RAT that contacts a remote server (185.149.232[.]197) and comes with capabilities to steal data from several cryptocurrency wallet extensions installed on Chromium-based browsers. PureHVNC also adopts a plugin-based approach to capture screenshots when window titles matching banks and wallets are opened. Check Point said it identified no less than 70 promoted posts from fake social media pages impersonating Kling AI. It's currently not clear who is behind the campaign, but evidence gathered from the fake website's web page and some of the ads show that they could be from Vietnam. The use of Facebook malvertising techniques to distribute stealer malware has been a tried-and-tested tactic of Vietnamese threat actors, who have been increasingly capitalizing on the popularity of generative AI tools to push malware. Earlier this month, Morphisec revealed that a Vietnamese threat actor has been leveraging fake AI-powered tools as a lure to entice users into downloading an information stealer malware dubbed Noodlophile. "This campaign, which impersonated Kling AI through fake ads and deceptive websites, demonstrates how threat actors are combining social engineering with advanced malware to gain access to users' systems and personal data," Check Point said. "With tactics ranging from file masquerading to remote access and data theft, and signs pointing to Vietnamese threat groups, this operation fits into a broader trend of increasingly targeted and sophisticated social media-based attacks." The development comes as The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta is battling an "epidemic of scams," with cyber criminals flooding Facebook and Instagram with various kinds of scams ranging from romance baiting to sketchy bargain ads to fake giveaways. Many of the scam pages are operated from China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and the Philippines, the report added. According to Rest of World, phony job ads on Telegram, Facebook, and other social media are being increasingly used to lure young Indonesians and get trafficked to scam compounds in Southeast Asia, from where they are coerced into running investment scams and defraud victims across the world. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

We're seeking a creative and data-savvy Social Media Content Producer to join our dynamic team. In this role, you'll be responsible for crafting engaging content that resonates with our audience across multiple social media platforms while driving meaningful engagement and growth.Key Responsibilities:Your day-to-day will involve immersing yourself in social media trends and translating them into compelling content. You'll develop original posts that align with our brand voice, manage content scheduling, and analyze performance metrics to continuously refine our social media strategy.Specifically, you will:Create and curate engaging content across all social media platforms, including written copy, images, videos, and StoriesMonitor and analyze social media trends, identifying opportunities to participate in relevant conversations and viral momentsDevelop and maintain a content calendar, ensuring consistent and timely posting across platformsTrack and report on key performance metrics, providing insights and recommendations for optimizationEngage with followers through comments, messages, and mentions, maintaining our brand voice and building communityCollaborate with the marketing team to plan and execute social media campaigns that align with broader business objectivesRequired Qualifications:Proficient in English2+ years of experience in social media content creation and managementStrong creative writing skills and the ability to adapt tone for different platformsExperience with social media management tools and analytics platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, X and SnapchatUnderstanding of social media best practices and current trendsExcellent organizational and time management skillsPreferred Qualifications:Knowledge of social media advertisingExperience with photo and video editing software is a plusA background in digital marketing or communications is a plusExperience with influencer partnerships is a plusIf you're passionate about creating content that connects with audiences and drives results, we want to hear from you.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Sales and Marketing JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot

Yes, Google’s roster of consumer-facing products is the slickest on offer. The firm is bundling most of its multimodal models into its Gemini app, including the new Imagen 4 image generator and the new Veo 3 video generator. That means you can now access Google’s full range of generative models via a single chatbot. It also announced Gemini Live, a feature that lets you share your phone’s screen or your camera’s view with the chatbot and ask it about what it can see. Those features were previously only seen in demos of Project Astra, a “universal AI assistant“ that Google DeepMind is working on. Now, Google is inching toward putting Project Astra into the hands of anyone with a smartphone. Google is also rolling out AI Mode, an LLM-powered front end to search. This can now pull in personal information from Gmail or Google Docs to tailor searches to users. It will include Deep Search, which can break a query down into hundreds of individual searches and then summarize the results; a version of Project Mariner, Google DeepMind’s browser-using agent; and Search Live, which lets you hold up your camera and ask it what it sees. This is the new frontier. It’s no longer about who has the most powerful models, but who can spin them into the best products. OpenAI’s ChatGPT includes many similar features to Gemini’s. But with its existing ecosystem of consumer services and billions of existing users, Google has a clear advantage. Power users wanting access to the latest versions of everything on display can now sign up for Google AI Ultra for $250 a month.   When OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022, Google was caught on the back foot and was forced to jump into higher gear to catch up. With this year’s product lineup, it looks as if Google has stuck its landing. On a preview call, CEO Sundar Pichai claimed that AI Overviews, a precursor to AI Mode that provides LLM-generated summaries of search results, had turned out to be popular with hundreds of millions of users. He speculated that many of them may not even know (or care) that they were using AI—it was just a cool new way to search. Google I/O gives a broader glimpse of that future, one where AI is invisible. “More intelligence is available, for everyone, everywhere,” Pichai told his audience. I think we are expected to marvel. But by putting AI in everything, Google is turning AI into a technology we won’t notice and may not even bother to name.

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It's an all-Premier League showdown in Bilbao.

May 21, 20253 min readSingle Atom Acts as a Quantum Computer and Simulates MoleculesA quantum computer has used a single atom to model the complex dynamics of organic molecules interacting with lightBy Davide Castelvecchi & Nature magazine A view inside the trapped-ion quantum computer that carried out a first-of-its-kind simulation of molecular chemistry. The University of Sydney/Sciencebrush.designA single atom has performed the first full quantum simulations of how certain molecules react to light. The researchers who carried out the feat say that their minimalistic approach could dramatically speed the path towards a ‘quantum advantage’ — when quantum computers will be able to predict the behaviour of chemicals or materials in ways that are beyond the reach of ordinary computers.“The key advantage of this approach is that it is incredibly hardware-efficient,” says Ting Rei Tan, an experimental quantum physicist at the University of Sydney. The single atom can encode the information that is normally spread across a dozen or so ‘qubits’, the computational units used in most quantum computers. The findings were published on 14 May in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.No quantum computer had simulated this level of complexity in the energy levels of molecules before, says Alán Aspuru-Guzik, a computational chemist at the University of Toronto in Canada. “This is a tour-de-force that will remain in the history books.”On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Excited electronsTan and his colleagues simulated the behaviour of three different organic molecules, allene, butatriene and pyrazine, when they are hit with an energetic particle called a photon. When this happens, it triggers a cascade of events in the molecule that affects both how its atoms move with respect to each other — vibrating like balls connected by springs — and how its electrons jump to higher-energy, or excited, states. Understanding the precise sequence of these events can help chemists to design molecules that channel energy in the most useful or efficient way, for example in solar panels or in sunscreen lotion.The researchers found a way to encode these different parameters into a single ytterbium ion trapped in a vacuum using pulsating electric fields: the excitations of the molecule’s electrons corresponded to similar excitations in one of the ion’s electrons, and two different vibrational modes were represented by the ion wiggling inside its trap in two different directions. The team also nudged the ion with laser pulses to tailor how all of the states interacted with one another. This forced the ion to evolve over time, meaning it could mimic how the corresponding molecules act after being hit by a photon.The team then read off the state of the virtual molecules at a sequence of different stages by measuring the changing probability that the ion’s electron was in an excited state over time.The results matched what was known about these three molecules, which validates the approach, Tan says. Allene, butatriene and pyrazine are still simple enough to be studied with ordinary computer simulations, but these run out of steam when they have to embody 20 or so vibrational modes, which is not uncommon for more complex molecules.Kenneth Brown, a quantum engineer at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, calls the study “great work”, and says that it’s the first time that researchers have shown how to tune such a technique to mimic the properties of specific molecules.Simulating the chemistry of molecules and materials is often described as one of the most promising uses for quantum computers — but one that will produce useful results only once the machines have scaled up to many millions of qubits. Tan and his collaborators predict that with their approach, a quantum computer could be able to do useful simulations using only a few dozen ions.This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on May 16, 2025.