23 Dec 2009 in Life
2009 will be past soon, and I think I did NOT do good jobs in 2009. There are too many many that I could get, but I didn’t. Actually, some of them is so close to the end, but i didn’t get it. I thought about it seriously, and some friends also gave me some good advices. I hope I can do better in the coming 2010.
In 2010, I should improve my ability of communication in English, also need training the communication skills, which is very important for me and my family’s stay in US.
In 2010, I have to do the J1visa waiver, then I can apply for the GC. This is also very important for my family, and it is convinent for us to travel between CN and US (donot need go to get visa ervery time).
In 2010, I should develop and extend my professional skills, not only be restricted on membrane technology. I have to learn more knowledge on material science, especially polymer chemistry and physics.
In 2010, Dony will come to this world, which is the most important for my family. This will be very wonderful!
In 2010, I have too many things to do.
……
22 Dec 2009 in Science
First programmable quantum computer
Ultracold beryllium ions are at the heart of the first programmable quantum computer, an advance that brings scientists closer to harnessing the power of quantum systems for general computing. The new system, researchers report in Nature Physics, flexed its versatility by performing 160 randomly chosen processing routines (SN: 12/19/09, p. 13).
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colo., based their quantum computer on two beryllium ions chilled to just above absolute zero. These ions, trapped by an electromagnetic field on a gold-plated alumina chip, formed the quantum bits, or qubits, analogous to the bits in regular computers represented by 0s and 1s. Short laser bursts manipulated the beryllium ions to perform the processing operations, while nearby magnesium ions kept the beryllium ions cool (SN Online: 8/6/09).
On average, the quantum computer performed the 160 programs accurately 79 percent of the time. The new study is “a powerful demonstration of the technological advances towards producing a real-world quantum computer,” says quantum physicist Winfried Hensinger of the University of Sussex in Brighton, England.
Macroworld entanglement
Scientists have found traces of quantum weirdness lurking between two superconductors (white squares on gray, below) that are visible to the naked eye (SN: 10/24/09, p. 12). Another team has linked vibrations of two separated atom pairs, entangling a system that approaches the scale of everyday life (SN: 7/4/09, p. 8).
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