For decades, quantum mechanics was seen largely as a field of abstract physics, describing the strange behaviour of particles at the smallest scales. Increasingly, it is becoming the basis for real-world technologies.
Researchers in quantum physics are developing systems that use quantum effects for computing, sensing and secure communication.
Quantum computers, in principle, could solve certain problems far faster than classical machines, particularly in areas such as materials discovery, optimisation and cryptography.
At the same time, quantum sensors may improve navigation, medical imaging and environmental monitoring by detecting extremely small changes in gravity, motion or magnetic fields.
Governments and companies including IBM and Google are investing heavily, seeing strategic and economic potential in the field.
However, major obstacles remain. Quantum systems are highly sensitive to noise and difficult to scale reliably.
Experts say practical applications are likely to emerge gradually rather than through a single dramatic breakthrough.
The significance of quantum science may lie not only in faster computers, but in a wider family of technologies built on deeper control of nature’s smallest systems.
