For decades, Shor’s algorithm has been the paragon of the power of quantum computers. This set of instructions allows a machine that can exploit the quirks of quantum physics to break large numbers into their prime factors much faster than a regular, classical computer — potentially laying waste to much of the internet’s security systems. In August 2023, a computer scientist developed , a computer scientist developed an even faster variation of Shor’s algorithm, the first significant improvement since its invention.
– Original story with links to research papers can be found here: https://www.quantamagazine.org/thirty-years-later-a-speed-boost-for-quantum-factoring-20231017/
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