• The Worst Rides Based on Movies
    screencrush.com
    For28 years, the signature attraction at Disney-MGM Studios (and later Disneys Hollywood Studios) was The Great Movie Ride, which took guests on a tour through Hollywood history. Animatronics and human actors brought riders inside the scenes from classic films likeCasablanca,The Wizard of Oz,Singin in the Rain, and many more.While crude by modern standards, The Great Movie Ride had a folksy charm all its own. It was agreat movie ride.You might call the ten attractions belowthe Not-Great Movie Rides.They are all inspired by motion pictures, but they took entertaining source material and turned them into underwhelming or downright boring theme park attractions at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and more. Most have long since closed to make way for better and more thrilling experiences, but a few of them are still in operation, disappointing tourists day after day after day.Buzz LightyearsSpace Ranger SpinAlmost every Disneyland around the globe has a version of this ride, a moving shooting gallery where guests try to rack up points by zapping targets inside a blacklight-heavy environment. Most of the variations of the ride are okay, but the original one at Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom, which is nowover a quarter centuryold, has some issues. Most centrally: The blasters are bolted to the cars and cant be picked up or moved around. (Youre supposed to instead spin your ride vehicle left and right to assist in the aiming.)Add in some 25 years of wear and tear, and you have a frustrating experience moreToy Story 4thanToy Story 2.READ MORE: 10 Fictional Amusement Parks We Wish We Could VisitDragon ChallengeWhen Universal first added a Harry Potter area to its Islands of Adventure theme park, they saved money by re-theming a roller coaster that already existed in the park to the Wizarding World. What was previously known as the Dueling Dragons coasters became Dragon Challenge within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The two coasters were fine, if unexceptional but apart from the rethemed queue,the attraction had nothing to do with Harry Potter. (The idea of dueling coasters, with the rides launching simultaneously and passing near each other on their respective tracks, wasalso abandoned within a few years, reportedly after two guest injuries.) Universalapparently recognizedthe ride wasnt on par with the rest of the impressively themed land, and by 2017 they closed Dragon Challenge and replaced it with theexplicitlyHarry Potter-inspired Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.E.T. AdventureAlargely debunkedInternet legend had it that Steven Spielberg, who is a paid consultant to the Universal Studios parks, has exercised some sort of contractual control that keeps the last remaining E.T. Adventure ride open in Orlando, purportedly because he was so upset about the closure ofUniversalsJaws rides a few years ago. Again,while this rumor doesnotseem to be accurate, the fact that people perpetuate it speaks to the fact that guestswant to knowwhy this opening day attraction from Universal Studios Florida remains open even though it looks very dated and was never allthat great to begin with.The ride itself is something of a knockoff of Disneys superior Peter Pan attraction, with guests mounting flying bicycles to aid E.T.s return to his home planet. Then an animatronic E.T. awkwardlypronounceseveryones namesbefore sending them on their way.Given that E.T. Adventure is based on a propertythathasnt gotten a new installment in 40 years, itisfair to wonder just what is keeping this adventure going.Fast & Furious: SuperchargedWith its outlandish, high-speed action,Fast & Furiousseems tailor-madefor a thrilling theme-park attraction. Instead its the subject of the abysmalFast & Furious: Supercharged, which is both a standalone ride at Universal Studios Florida (using a lot of the existing infrastructure from Universals old Earthquake ride), and an element in the long-running Studio Tour ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. In both versions guests enter a long screened tunnel, whichis then filled with extremely unrealistic images of various cars, trucks, bikes, helicopters, and tanks engaging in a cartoonish chase. None of it looks convincing, and never for one second do you believe your are in the middle of an actual battle. How bad is this thing? One longtime Universal theme park designer said publicly that not stopping the company from bringing Supercharged from Hollywood to Florida was the biggest mistake in his career.Haunted Mansion HolidayThe Haunted Mansion is among Disneys best attractions. After decades of service, its still terrific; spooky, funny, atmospheric, and filled with terrific special effects. But every fall, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland is given an overhaul to turn it into Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by TheNightmare Before Christmas, which isnt as spooky or funny or atmospheric. Even worse, DIsney seems to keep Haunted Mansion Holiday up longer and and longer every single year, meaning the O.G. Mansion is openless and less often. Its an update but not an upgrade.Luigis Flying TiresDisney California AdventuresRadiator Springs Racers, combining impressive animatronics and an exciting high-speed race, is one of the very best theme park attractions based on a movie. At the opposite end of the spectrum, but just a few feet down the road, once stood something called Luigis Flying Tires, a twist on bumpercarsthat combinedtheFlying Saucer technology from a Disneyland ride that had been closed for more than 30 years with ... beach balls for some reason? Good or bad, Disneys attractions almost never look this cheap. Disney closed the ride after just three years, and replaced it with a more sophisticated trackless spinning ride, Luigis Rollicking Roadsters.Navi River JourneySimilarly, theAvatar-themed area at Disneys Animal Kingdom park features one truly impressive attraction,AvatarFlight of Passage, andan underwhelming one, Navi River Journey, a placid and uneventful dark ride through a neon-lit Pandora. After a couple minutes floating downa lazy river, you encounter an impressive NaviShaman animatronic figure, and then the experience is over.It feels like the sleepy prelude to an exciting ride you never actually get to experience.Stitchs Great Escape!Like Dragon Challenge, like Fast & Furious: Supercharged, like Haunted Mansion Holiday, Stitchs Great Escape! was an attempt to update an old ride with characters from a popular new property. (Sensing a pattern?) In this case, Disney replaced Tomorrowlands Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter, which was deemed too scary for the family-friendly confines of the Magic Kingdom, with a similar experience where instead of a slobbering alien like the xenomorph from theAlien series they encountered the adorably chaotic alien from theLilo & Stitchfranchise. On the plus side, the Stitch version inspired fewerhorrific nightmares in children. On the downside, it wasboring and gross. (Stitch belchedin guests faces, with the attraction piping in a chili dog aroma to sell the effect.) While Stitchs Great Escape lasted inits Tomorrowland building almost twice as long as Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter did, it closed for good in 2018.The Right Stuff: Mach 1 AdventureWith simulator rides all the rage at Disney theme parks in the late 1980s, Six Flags made oneof their own.The Right Stuff: Mach 1 Adventure at Six Flags Great Adventurewasloosely (and I meanveryloosely) based on the famous biopic about pioneering American aviators and astronauts. But instead of enteringyourown space ship (like in Disneys Star Tours) or a DeLorean car (as in Back to the Future: The Ride), The Right Stuff was projected in a movie theater, with guests seated in rows of moving two-seaters themed to look like they sort of belonged in a jet fighter cockpit. The illusion was not nearly as convincing as in other simulator rides, and within a few years Six Flags had begun playing other ride films in The Right Stuff theater, including one starring Elvira and another featuring SpongeBob SquarePants. These films did not have the right stuff either; and the attraction closed for good in 2010.Twister ... Ride It OutAfter the originalTwisterbecame one of Universals biggest blockbusters of the 1990s, the company was understandably eager to create aTwister attraction in their theme parks. Using a space previously occupied by a Ghostbusters stage show, they created a special effects showcase that simulated one of the films natural disaster set pieces in a confined space. The problem? Most ofTwisters twisters were made with computers, meaning the practical version would inevitable pale in comparison with the film. The disappointing nature of the ride was written all over the late, great Bill Paxtons face in the introduction he filmed forTwister ... Ride It Out. An analog dinosaur in an increasingly digital world, the attraction closed in 2015 and was replaced by a motion simulator starring Jimmy Fallon.Get our free mobile appAmazing Theme Park Rides Based on Movies That Were Never Built
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  • Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Feb. 20
    www.cnet.com
    Looking forthe most recentMini Crossword answer?Click here for today's Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.I solved today'sNYT Mini Crosswordwhile listening to The Beatles, which turned out to be a fitting soundtrack when I got to 7-Across and 8-Across. Those two paired clues involve London, a city that meant so much to their careers. (Also, if you ever get a chance to go to The Beatles' hometown of Liverpool, do it -- it's wonderful to see the place the band came from.) Speaking of the Fab Four, do you need some "Help!" with today's Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times' games collection. If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visitCNET's NYT puzzle hints page.Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini CrosswordLet's get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers. The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for Feb. 20, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNETMini across clues and answers1A clue: Sound of hard impactAnswer: BAM4A clue: "Hoo-wee!"Answer: OHBABY7A clue: With 8-Across, kind of bus associated with LondonAnswer: DOUBLE8A clue: See 7-AcrossAnswer: DECKER9A clue: Sponsored posts in one's newsfeed, e.g.Answer: ADSMini down clues and answers1D clue: Dessert described as "half-bread, half-cake"Answer: BAM2D clue: Having a full range of physical or mental abilitiesAnswer: ABLED3D clue: Mike who played Austin PowersAnswer: MYERS4D clue: QuirkyAnswer: ODD5D clue: Garden tool used for weedingAnswer: HOE6D clue: Tampa Bay football player, for shortAnswer: BUCHow to play more Mini CrosswordsThe New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day's Mini Crossword for free, but you'll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
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  • The Art of Ryan Gitter
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  • Discover the Art of Billy Christian
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  • Spore.Bio raises $23M to apply machine learning to microbiology testing
    techcrunch.com
    Recalls in the food and beverage industry due to contamination incidents can have catastrophic effects. Not only do companies have to pay fines and damages, but the impacts on the brands reputation can be long-lasting.Thats why Spore.Bio, a Paris-based deeptech startup, is trying to reinvent microbiology testing to avoid the next PR crisis in the food industry. After raising an 8 million pre-seed round ($8.3 million at current exchange rates) a little bit more than a year ago, the company just secured a $23 million Series A round.Singular is leading the round. Point 72 Ventures, 1st Kind Ventures (the family office of the Peugeot family), Station F and Lord David Prior are also participating. Existing investors LocalGlobe, No Label Ventures and Famille C are putting more money in the company as well.The reason why Spore.Bio managed to raise so quickly after its pre-seed round is that theres real customer interest. The startup has already signed a few commercial contracts that can cover up to 200 factories. Spore.Bio had to open a waitlist to make sure it can keep up with demand.So what makes Spore.Bios technology special? In the food and beverage industry, microbiological tests require several days. Companies have to take a sample and send it to a specialized lab for testing.Picture this, were in 2022, everything is hyper-optimized. Youve got lean manufacturing everywhere, every step is optimized and counted in minutes to get a result, to move from one step to the next, co-founder and CEO Amine Raji told TechCrunch. And bam, youve got a 5-day imponderable test in the agri-food sector, and 14-day test in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors, to get a result because you have to wait for the bacteria to grow.First, testing has to happen offsite because petri-dish-based testing involves demultiplying any potential bacteria. So you cant risk contaminating other parts of the factory with your testing. Second, the bacteria incubation part takes time.Spore.Bio is using a completely different process. The company sends light at specific wavelengths toward a sample and records the spectral signature. Thanks to a pre-trained deep learning algorithm, it can detect whether that specific sample contains any bacteria or pathogens.That model is Spore.Bios most important asset. The startup has signed a partnership with the Pasteur Institute to access its biobank of bacteria samples.In the coming months, it wants to manufacture testing machines that customers can use directly in their own factories. As a result, microbiology testing can happen directly on site. The company claims it reduces the overall process from days to a matter of minutes.Image Credits:Spore.BioBefore founding Spore.Bio, Raji was a food and beverage manufacturing engineer working for Nestl. He naturally focused on the industry he already knew. But it turns out that microbiology testing is much larger than anticipated.Companies manufacturing cosmetic products have also expressed interest in Spore.Bios technology. Manufacturers need to get rid of preservatives due to customer demands, environmental concerns and other reasons. Except that preservatives are bacteria-killing preservatives, Raji said.Similarly, the pharma industry found a use case for its most advanced treatments. There is a growing need, especially for innovative therapies, such as gene and cell therapy, Raji said. He added that these products tend to have a short shelf life, which can be as low as seven days. So these therapies cant go through the usual testing processes in such a short timeframe.With todays funding round, the startup expects to significantly grow its team. There are currently 30 people working for the company, and they will be 50 by the end of 2025.
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  • Google Starts Tracking All Your Devices As Chrome Changes
    www.forbes.com
    Surprise new tracking goes live.Jaap Arriens/NurPhotoRepublished on February 20th with new report into the multi-billion dollar data harvesting industry and its staggering growth, all fueled by unlimited user tracking.Google Chrome users are being tracked. Last years decision to resurrect tracking cookies triggered a privacy storm, as did alleged data collection from private browsing sessions. But Googles planned new upgrade should fix this once and for all. Dont get too excited, though. Theres a nasty new tracking surprise that has just gone live.First to the good news. Tracking cookies will finally be killed by a one time global prompt upgrade, giving Chrome users an Apple-like choice between being tracked and (more likely) not being tracked. All good, albeit the timing is unclear and the industry seems worried that this may unfairly advantage Google, given its own account tracking. As such we await the inevitable regulatory green light and potential delays.But while thats a good privacy move, the surprising update thats just gone live seems to be bad news for those same users benefiting from a one-time global prompt. Were talking digital fingerprinting, which Google prohibited as wrong in 2019 but has now resurrected. As of February 16th, fingerprinting has also been expanded to track all your devices such as smart TVs and gaming consoles, providing a rich new seam of your data for the advertising industry to mine.Privacy campaigners have called Googles new rules on tracking people online a blatant disregard for user privacy, BBC News reported this weekend, citing Mozillas Martin Thomson warning that Google has given itself - and the advertising industry it dominates - permission to use a form of tracking that people cant do much to stop.The UKs data regulator explains that fingerprinting involves the collection of pieces of information about a devices software or hardware, which, when combined, can uniquely identify a particular device and user, echoing Thomsons warning that even privacy-conscious users will find this difficult to stop.Google says that the reversal reflects a new device landscape, with smart devices enabling a broader range of surfaces on which ads are served, while telling BBC News that privacy-enhancing technologies offer new ways for our partners to succeed on emerging platforms... without compromising on user privacy.There was little furor when Google announced this change in December, as I reported at the time. But with it now live, there has been more of a pushback and it remains unclear how regulators will respond. French data regulator CNIL, for example, has warned that the use of fingerprinting for advertising purposes requires the consent of users who must be able to refuse as simply as accept.Meanwhile, Google says we continue to give users choice whether to receive personalized ads, and will work across the industry to encourage responsible data use." Only time will tell what happens next as all our devices start reporting back. Clearly Google and the regulators cant both be right. For the time being, fingerprinting cant be stopped. We will need to see a mandatory opt-out to change that.The data industryvpnMentorA new report from vpnMentor sheds some light on whats going on behind the scenes, as all your data is collected, harvested and monetized. And just as with everything else, this is a market being reshaped by AI, just as the volume of data increases.This industry has long been the silent director of information exchange in the digital space, vpnMentor says, influencing how data is amassed, packaged, and monetized. Data brokers tap multiple sources and methods to collect information on consumers and build dynamic user profiles, which are then sold to third parties.The stats are stark. This data brokerage industry is already worth around US$390 billion, and could grow to as much as US$672 billion by 2032. If these reported values are accurate, vpnMentor says, this makes this an industry on a par with or even great then social medial and cybersecurity. You can see why theres so much hunger for more of your data from more of your devices.What remains unclear is how AI will impact these numbers as it becomes more prevalent. Were still at the early stages of this journey. The increasing rate of digital adoption worldwide, coupled with the rapid pace of innovation in the tech and automation sectors, has only made consumer data an ever more valuable asset. Data brokers are already implementing cross-device tracking to facilitate dynamic profiling. AI advancements, meanwhile, are simplifying information scraping and processing, which enables more aggressive data brokering.Meanwhile, Chrome users are left with the irony of a simultaneous good move on tracking cookies and bad move on fingerprinting. The ad industry needs your data, and that is unlikely to change. I have reached out to Google to ask whether an opt-out may come after all, and will update if I hear anything back. Nothing so far.
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  • How AI Is Changing The Game In Manufacturing
    www.forbes.com
    While transforming to Industry 4.0, manufacturers invested heavily in cleaning, standardizing, and integrating data streams from IoT sensors and production lines. That groundwork is now paying off, giving them a clear edge in scaling AI.gettyIndustrial manufacturing isnt just figuring out how to scale artificial intelligenceits got a serious head start.This is the sector thats already been through a digital transformation withBut research in a new SAP industry report shows that while manufacturers hard-earned expertise in data, integration, and scaling can help other sectors avoid common pitfalls and accelerate their own AI transformation, only 16% of IM businesses as have integrated AI so far, versus 25% across all industries.Thats a fascinating finding. Does it show a lack of urgency? If so, why? The barriers to AI adoption in industrial manufacturing are lower than in most industriesbut perhaps it comes down to transformation fatigue as much as anything else thats causing them to go carefully. And thats precisely why their journey offers such a valuable blueprint.AI in manufacturing: A familiar challenge with new stakesFor industrial manufacturers, AI feels like dj vu. Scaling AI brings back many of the same hurdles they faced during the Industry 4.0 revolution: fragmented data, legacy systems, and workforce skepticism. Yet, having tackled these challenges before, they know where to focus their energy.Take data, for instance. AI is only as good as the data its fed, and manufacturers have learned that messy, inconsistent inputs lead to bad outcomes. While transforming to Industry 4.0, they invested heavily in cleaning, standardizing, and integrating data streams from IoT sensors and production lines. That groundwork is now paying off, giving them a clear edge in scaling AI.For industries just starting out, this lesson is crucial: before you scale, you have to clean house.Then theres the question of systems. Industrial manufacturings reliance on mission-critical legacy infrastructure means that replacing old systems isnt always an option.Instead, theyve become experts in building bridges between old and new technologies. Its not the flashiest approach, but it worksand its a reminder to other sectors that integration is often more practical (and less risky) than starting from scratch.How AI is changing the game in manufacturingIf Industry 4.0 was about connecting the dots, AI is about predicting whats next. With AI, the manufacturing industry is already seeing game-changing results across its operations.AI isnt just making processes fasterits making them smarter:Predictive maintenance: Analyzing sensor data to forecast equipment failures, preventing costly downtime.Quality assurance: Using AI-powered vision systems to catch defects on production lines in real time.Energy management: Optimizing energy use by predicting demand, improving both sustainability and cost efficiency.These applications arent just solving operational headachestheyre delivering tangible value. And while theyre rooted in manufacturing, the logic behind them is universal. Every industry has bottlenecks that could benefit from smarter, data-driven solutions.3 lessons for other industriesThe challenges manufacturers face with AI are the same ones everyone else is grappling with. Data silos, disconnected systems, and workforce readiness are barriers across the board.But industrial manufacturings experience offers a playbook for navigating these hurdles:Data quality cant be an afterthought. Manufacturers know that garbage in means garbage out, and theyve invested in cleaning up their data streams before scaling AIPrioritize integration over disruption. This ensures that new technology complements existing systems rather than replacing them outright.Start small. Focusing on targeted AI applications like logistics optimization or inventory management create momentum and builds trust across the organization.The road ahead: AIs evolutionIndustrial manufacturings journey with AI highlights three steps of adoption, each building on the last:Automation: The first step, where repetitive tasks are streamlined to improve efficiency.Process transformation: AI starts rethinking how operations work, making them smarter and more adaptable.Autonomy: The ultimate goal, where AI systems manage workflows independently, reacting to real-time changes without human intervention.Most industries are currently somewhere between automation and transformation. But as seen in the manufacturing industry, autonomy isnt as far off as it once seemedits the natural progression for businesses willing to invest in scaling AI.The bigger pictureHeres the bottom line: AI isnt just another toolits a strategic shift. Manufacturings journey through Industry 4.0 has shown that transformation isnt a single project; its a mindset.Scaling AI requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to iterate. But the rewardsgreater efficiency, smarter decision-making, and enhanced customer valueare worth the effort.The lessons learned by manufacturers are clear: focus on the fundamentals, embrace integration, and aim for continuous improvement.You can check out additional manufacturing research, stats, and pain-point solutions HERE.
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  • Does the iPhone 16e have a 120Hz screen?
    www.digitaltrends.com
    Table of ContentsTable of ContentsDoes the iPhone 16e have a 120Hz refresh rate?Why is a 120Hz display importantApples best iPhones dont come cheap. That said, its been better about launching affordable versions of its flagship phones in the past few years. The iPhone 16e is the latest iteration of the cheaper SE series, which opens the gates for those of us who dont have as much money to spare. It succeeds the iPhone SE 3, a small in size, big in value phone thats been waiting for an upgrade for over two years.Apple has stepped forward in some aspects, like adding premium features like Apple Intelligence and face recognition to the iPhone 16e, but it still might be a while until we see an increase in iPhone refresh rates. Heres everything we know about the iPhone 16e refresh rate and why a 120Hz rate is so appealing.Recommended VideosThe iPhone 16e does not have a 120Hz refresh rate. At its launch event, Apple confirmed it would come with a 60Hz display, which matches the trend with its latest iPhones. The iPhone 16e is a budget iPhone, and not even the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a 120Hz refresh rate. Thats a privilege reserved for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. For reference, both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have a 60Hz refresh rate. The iPhone SE 3 also had the same refresh rate.RelatedWhile we listed the 60Hz refresh rate as a con in our iPhone 16 reviews, the 60Hz refresh rate on a cheaper phone is a little more reasonable.A high refresh rate can add fluidity and minimize lag on your phone so that navigating it feels as seamless as possible. Its an especially attractive quality for watching live broadcasts or playing mobile games. The refresh rate on your device equates to how quickly itll refresh the screen at any given time, so a 120Hz refresh rate is capable of refreshing at almost double the speed of a 60Hz phone. A 60Hz display might seem choppy in comparison.However, you might not even need a 120Hz display for an iPhone. One of our staffers found that 60Hz on the iPhone 15 is actually fine, possibly because Apples powerful processors make up for it. Having the same refresh rate for a phone thats expected to cost a fraction of the price sounds like a win to me.Editors Recommendations
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  • Microsoft created a whole new state of matter to make its quantum chip
    www.digitaltrends.com
    In Marvels Iron Man 2, the protagonist, Tony Stark, creates a new element to power the arc reactor in his chest and the mech suit he wears in superhero mode. It remains one of the coolest cinematic scenes for sci-fi fans. Microsoft has managed to achieve something of the same caliber in 2025 by creating a new state of matter.Earlier today, the tech giant introduced Majorana 1, the worlds first quantum computing chip, a breakthrough that has set the whole tech world abuzz. The company spent years building the chip, which entailed numerous breakthroughs.Recommended VideosBut none sound as impressive as developing a new state of matter. There are three fundamental states of matter solid, liquid, and gas and two exotic forms that we know as plasma and the Bose-Einstein Condensates (BECs). Microsoft has created what it calls the topological state of matter. This breakthrough required developing an entirely new materials stack made of indium arsenide and aluminum, much of which Microsoft designed and fabricated atom by atom, says the company.A couple reflections on the quantum computing breakthrough we just announcedMost of us grew up learning there are three main types of matter that matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Today, that changed.After a nearly 20 year pursuit, weve created an entirely new state of pic.twitter.com/Vp4sxMHNjc Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) February 19, 2025The company technically created a new variety of particles called Majoranas, which lends its name to the quantum chip it powers. So far, this state of matter has only existed in theory, claims Microsoft.It is a hybrid derivative of two main components: an aluminum strip acting as the superconducting unit, while the semiconducting unit is made out of a chemical called Indium Arsenide (InAs).When cooled to near absolute zero and tuned with magnetic fields, these devices form topological superconducting nanowires with Majorana Zero Modes (MZMs) at the wires ends, adds the company.The fundamental block of quantum computing is a qubit, which is analogous to the bits that are at the heart of classical computers. For the Majorana-powered quantum computers, the MZMs serve as foundation material for the qubits.Now, qubits can be created in various ways. Microsofts iteration relies on what the company refers to as topological qubits. At the heart of Majorana 1 is a topological core that can be scaled to a million qubits on a single chip.Majorana 1 Explained: The Path to a Million QubitsThanks to the innovation, Microsoft says it is en route to developing the worlds first fault-tolerant prototype (FTP) of a stable quantum computer in years, and not decades.Notably, the company is undertaking the mission as part of the governments Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing (US2QC) program run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).The foundational technology is proven, and we believe our architecture is scalable, notes the company. Microsoft says the advancement of quantum computing will dramatically speed up scientific processes, such as discovery of new drugs, creation of self-healing materials, agricultural advancements, and more.For example, Microsofts work on quantum computing alongside experts at Case Western Reserve University has already helped with developing cancer scans at a much faster pace, and improving the precision of identifying disease signs.These developments offer the potential to revolutionize medical diagnostics and treatment by enabling earlier detection of diseases like cancer and more importantly, the synthesis of new medicines.Google is not too far behind with quantum computing endeavors of its own. The head of its quantum division, Hartmut Neven, recently claimed that real-world applications of quantum computing will be here within the next five years.Editors Recommendations
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