谷歌声称他们的量子计算机可以在200秒内完成不可能的任务
Google claims its quantum computer can do the impossible in 200 seconds
By Charles Riley, CNN Business
October 23, 2019
计算机革命又要开始了吗？
谷歌合成音频

Google CEO Sundar Pichai with the company’s quantum computer.
谷歌的首席执行官Sundar Pichai与公司的量子计算机。
London (CNN Business)Google claims it has  designed a machine that needs only 200 seconds to solve a problem that would take the world’s fastest supercomputer[1] 10,000 years to figure out.
伦敦(CNN商业)谷歌声称他们已经设计出一种机器只需200秒就能解决的问题，而这个世界上最快的超级计算机需要1万年才能解决这个问题。
The speed achieved by the computer represents a breakthrough called “quantum supremacy[2],” according to a blog post from the company and an accompanying article in the scientific journal Nature.
根据该公司的一篇博客文章和发表在《自然》杂志上的一篇相关文章，这台计算机所达到的速度代表了一种被称为“量子霸权”的突破。
The results announced Wednesday herald[3] the rise of quantum computers, which can store and process much more information than their classical cousins by tapping into[4] the powerful forces contained in the field of physics known as quantum mechanics[5].
周三公布的结果预示着量子计算机的崛起，通过利用被称为量子力学的物理领域所包含的强大力量，量子计算机可以存储和处理比传统计算机多得多的信息。
One big difference: Normal computers use data that exist in only one state at a time[6] — a one, or a zero[7]. Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can simultaneously[8] be any combination of zero and one. The difference means much faster processing speeds.
一个很大的区别是:普通计算机使用的数据一次只以一种状态存在——1，或者0。量子计算机使用量子位，或称量子位，它可以同时是0和1的任意组合。这种差异意味着更快的处理速度。
Google (GOOGL) will now try to build “a fault-tolerant[9] quantum computer” as quickly as possible. The company sees applications in designing lightweight[10] batteries for cars and airplanes, as well as new medicines.
谷歌(GOOGL)现在将尽可能快地建立一个“容错量子计算机”。该公司将其应用于为汽车和飞机设计轻型电池，以及开发新药。
“Achieving the necessary computational capabilities will still require years of hard engineering and scientific work. But we see a path clearly now, and we’re eager to move ahead[11],” it said in the post.
“获得必要的计算能力仍然需要多年的艰苦工程和科学工作。但我们现在清楚地看到了前进的道路，我们渴望前进。”它在博客里说。
Quantum critics
量子计算的批评
The speed experiment devised by Google was criticized by some experts and rival companies after the results leaked online ahead of their official publication date.
谷歌设计的速度实验结果在正式公布日期之前泄露到网上，遭到了一些专家和竞争对手的批评。
IBM (IBM) said in a blog post Monday that Google had overestimated the difficulty of the computing task. Instead of 10,000 years, IBM argued the problem could be solved by a classical computer in just 2.5 days.
IBM周一在一篇博客文章中说，谷歌高估了计算任务的难度。IBM认为，传统的计算机只需2.5天就可以解决这个问题，而不是1万年。
“We urge the community to treat claims that, for the first time, a quantum computer did something that a classical computer cannot with a large dose of[12] skepticism,” IBM said.
IBM表示:“我们敦促社会谨慎对待这样的说法:量子计算机首次做出了传统计算机无法做到的事情。”
Google CEO Sundar Pichai defended the company’s claim[13] in an interview with MIT Technology Review published Wednesday, comparing it to the Wright brothers’ attempts at flight.
谷歌的首席执行官桑达尔·皮查伊在接受《麻省理工学院技术评论》采访时为该公司的说法进行了辩护，并将其与莱特兄弟的飞行尝试进行了比较。
“The first plane flew only for 12 seconds, and so there is no practical application of that,” said Pichai. “But it showed the possibility that a plane could fly.”
皮查伊说:“第一架飞机只飞行了12秒，所以当时没有实际应用。但它显示了飞机能够飞行的可能性。”
China is considered a leader in the development of quantum computing[14], which could have significant military applications[15]. The United States is trying to catch up, sparking fears of a quantum arms race[16].
中国被认为是量子计算发展的领导者，量子计算可能会有重大的军事应用。美国正试图迎头赶上，引发了对量子军备竞赛的担忧。
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/23/tech/google-quantum-supremacy-scn/index.html
科技新闻
注释
[1] supercomputer
注释:超级计算机
备注:n. [计] 巨型计算机，超级计算机
[2] quantum supremacy
注释:量子霸权
备注:supremacy
US [s?prem?si]
UK [s?prem?si]
n.至高无上；最大权力；最高权威；最高地位
[3] herald
注释:宣布[?her?ld]
备注:v. 预示……的来临；宣布，通报；公开称赞
n. 预兆，征兆；（古）传令官，报信者；先驱；棘翅夜蛾
[4] tapping into
注释:利用
备注:挖掘；接进
[5] quantum mechanics
注释:量子力学
备注:[量子] 量子力学（解释次原子粒子运动和质量）
[6] exist in only one state at a time
注释:一次只以一种状态存在
[7] a one, or a zero
注释:要么是1，要么是0
[8] simultaneously
注释:同时 [?s?ml?te?ni?sli]
备注:adv. 同时地
[9] fault-tolerant
注释:容错的
备注:adj. 容错的；故障容限的
[10] lightweight
注释:轻量级 [?la?twe?t]
备注:n. 轻量级（拳击手）；比通常重量轻的人或东西；无足轻重的人（或事）
adj. 轻量的；给人印象不深的；无足轻重的；比通常重量轻的；浅薄的
[11] move ahead
注释:前进
备注:前进；进行；进展
[12] a large dose of
注释:大量的
[13] defended the company’s claim
注释:为公司的主张辩护
[14] quantum computing
注释:量子计算
[15] significant military applications
注释:重要的军事应用
[16] sparking fears of a quantum arms race
注释:引发了对量子军备竞赛的担忧