03 | Dead and Alive: Plucky country

You might not know it, but Australia is an unexpected frontrunner in the race to build a quantum computer.

Despite our isolation, leading quantum experts have called Australia home for decades, chipping away at this massive challenge.

What have we learnt, from our first digital computer CSIRAC, to now? And will it all culminate in the world's first million-qubit computer?

Got feedback? Email us sciencefriction@abc.net.au

Guests:

Dr Peter Thorne

Former weekend service operator for CSIRAC

Professor Michelle Simmons

CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing and director of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, UNSW

Professor Robert Clark

Founding director of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology, UNSW

Professor Geoff Pryde