$100,000 Prize: Prove Quantum Computers Impossible 324
mikejuk writes "Quantum computing is currently a major area of research — but is this all a waste of effort? Now Scott Aaronson, a well-known MIT computer scientist, has offered a prize of $100,000 for any proof that quantum computers are impossible: 'I'm now offering a US$100,000 award for a demonstration, convincing to me, that scalable quantum computing is impossible in the physical world.' Notice the two important conditions — 'physical world' and 'scalable.' The proof doesn't have to rule out tiny 'toy' quantum computers, only those that could do any useful work."
Easy, since it's the U.S. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Easy, since it's the U.S. (Score:5, Funny)
Just point a gun at his head and ask him "Convinced?"
This is the most concise explanation of a quantum computer I have ever read.
The jokes on them (Score:5, Funny)
I will prove Quantum Computers both possible AND impossible at the SAME TIME!
You can't prove a negative (Score:5, Funny)
So I guess the proof would be that they do exist, but only if you don't observe one.
Quantum Mechanics (Score:1, Funny)
Like the cat (Score:0, Funny)
He will be alive and dead at the same time.
Re:The jokes on them (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, and you'll both get and not get the money at the same time. However don't complain if you find out that you didn't get it: It was you looking which caused the superposition to collapse into that state.
Re:Proving something negative is impossible (Score:2, Funny)
A really ignorant programming teacher at a local community collage her has found a way to decide the halting problem. A student asked her what sort of things you could validate with an asp.net validator. She said anything. He gave an example of a halting problem and she said yes.
In the words of one of her colleagues, "she's as dumb as a brick", so if she can decide the halting problem, can't someone smarter come up with a general solution?