A qubit’s guide to not exploding (a resource collection)

Or, everything you need to understand why quantum computing is both revolutionary and stuck in the laboratory

Quantum computing occupies that peculiar space where breathless hype meets stubborn reality. Every week brings news of quantum supremacy, quantum advantage, and quantum revolution. Every month brings reminders that actually making the bloody things work remains extraordinarily difficult. This page collects resources for understanding both the promise and the problems, the theory and the practice, the vision and the very real engineering challenges of building computers that exploit quantum weirdness.

The basics: learning what qubits actually are

If you’re starting from scratch and want to understand quantum computing without getting lost in the mathematics, these resources provide accessible introductions.

Textbooks and comprehensive guides

Introduction to Quantum Computing Lecture Notes, Dominique Unruh, 2024. Lecture notes from RWTH Aachen that build up quantum computing from classical computing principles. Good if you want the computer science perspective without too much physics.

Introduction to Quantum Information, Computation and Communication, Steven M. Girvin, 2024. Yale lecture notes intended for undergraduates from various disciplines. More physics-focused but still accessible. Warning: the author has financial interests in quantum computing companies, which he discloses upfront.

Quantum Computing: A Gentle Introduction, Eleanor Rieffel and Wolfgang Polak, referenced 2024. Frequently cited textbook that takes a genuinely gentle approach. Recommended by multiple university courses for good reason.

Tutorial and course materials

Introduction to Quantum Computing Tutorial, Scott Pakin and Eleanor G. Rieffel, November 2024. NASA Ames and Los Alamos tutorial covering fundamentals through advanced algorithms. Includes multiple quantum computing models beyond just circuits.

Introduction to Quantum Computing Course Syllabus, Georgia Tech, 2024. Shows what a proper quantum computing course covers: from qubits through error correction. Useful for understanding the scope of the field even if you’re not taking the course.

Introduction to Quantum Computing, Henry Yuen, Columbia University, 2024. Course covering fundamental postulates through quantum cryptography. Emphasises that no quantum physics background is required but linear algebra comfort is essential.

The scepticism: voices of reason in a hype-filled room

These resources cut through the marketing departments and venture capital enthusiasm to examine what quantum computers can’t do, might never do, and definitely won’t do in the next five years no matter what the press releases say.

Academic scepticism

Quantum computing has a hype problem, MIT Technology Review, March 2022. A quantum computing researcher with over 100 papers in the field explains why the hype disturbs him. Key insight: we still don’t know where quantum computing sits on the Wright brothers to jumbo jets timeline. Could be 1903. Could be Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine.

The Case Against Quantum Computing, IEEE Spectrum, 2018 (updated 2025). Physicist Mikhail Dyakonov argues quantum computing faces insurmountable physical obstacles. Includes IBM physicist Rolf Landauer’s suggested disclaimer: “This scheme, like all other schemes for quantum computation, relies on speculative technology, does not in its current form take into account all possible sources of noise, unreliability and manufacturing error, and probably will not work.”

Quantum Computing’s Hard, Cold Reality Check, IEEE Spectrum, December 2023. Industry insiders including Amazon’s head of quantum hardware acknowledge the “tremendous amount of hype” and growing recognition that near-term quantum computers probably won’t be useful without error correction. Quote from Microsoft’s Matthias Troyer: “We found out over the last 10 years that many things that people have proposed don’t work. And then we found some very simple reasons for that.”

Quantum Hype and Quantum Skepticism, Communications of the ACM, September 2023. Examines the debate between quantum enthusiasts and quantum sceptics. Points out that developing quantum algorithms is hard (only a few dozen exist after 25 years) whilst every teenager can write classical algorithms. Questions whether the virtuous cycle that funded classical computing can work for quantum.

Will Quantum Computing Ever Live Up to Its Hype?, Scientific American, February 2024. John Horgan talks to Scott Aaronson, who worries researchers are making promises they can’t keep whilst simultaneously hoping someone proves the naysayers wrong. Discusses why quantum computing is especially prone to hype, perhaps because “quantum stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.”

Don’t believe the hype: quantum tech can’t yet solve real-world problems, Nature, April 2025. Straightforward title, straightforward message: investors and public should know what quantum devices can and can’t do. Nature doesn’t mince words about the gap between promise and reality.

How Scientists, Publishers and Investors Create Quantum Hype, Scientific American, March 2025. Examines D-Wave’s latest quantum advantage claim and how it was quickly disputed by researchers showing classical computers could achieve similar results. Discusses the troubling pattern of quantum advantage announcements followed by classical refutations. Notes that quantum computing stock prices respond dramatically to these announcements.

The harsh but entertaining critique

Quantum computing and the quantum quacks, The Physics Detective, September 2025. Physicist John Duffield pulls no punches, calling quantum computing “Emperor’s New Clothes nonsense from a bunch of charlatans” and “smoke-and-mirrors claptrap from a cabal of quantum quacks.” Harsh, entertainingly written, and raises legitimate questions about whether quantum computing is chasing real physics or funding. His recommendation: “Google on quantum supremacy hype.”

The reality: what’s actually happening

These resources examine the current state of quantum computing, what is working, what is not, and what might actually become useful.

Industry assessments

The Long-Term Forecast for Quantum Computing Still Looks Bright, Boston Consulting Group, June 2025. Despite the title, this is actually a sober assessment. Points out that most valuable use cases need 10,000 to 20,000 qubit-gate operations at nearly 100 percent fidelity, but current systems fail after 1,000 to 10,000 operations. Useful algorithms need millions or billions of operations. Concludes improvements of many orders of magnitude are still needed.

Quantum Hype Vs. Reality: What Can We Really Expect?, Quantum Zeitgeist, January 2025. Examines specific claims and challenges. Discusses Google’s quantum supremacy achievement whilst noting it doesn’t mean quantum computers will replace classical ones. Points out that many quantum machine learning algorithms rely on unrealistic assumptions. Emphasises the need to separate hype from reality when evaluating potential impact.

10 Quantum Computing Predictions for 2024, Quantum Machines, 2024. Industry predictions for hardware advances, quantum advantage milestones, and commercial investment. Useful for understanding what people working in the field think might happen soon versus eventually. Predictions range from 2025 to 2027 and beyond.

Practical applications and use cases

Is Practical Quantum Computing Here?, SpinQ, 2024. Discusses Google’s Willow chip and progress in quantum error correction. Emphasises hybrid quantum-classical systems as the current practical approach. Covers educational quantum computers and real-world applications being explored.

Quantum Computing Applications In 2024, Quantum Zeitgeist, October 2024. Comprehensive overview of potential applications across 12 areas including materials science, finance, healthcare, and transportation. Discusses quantum simulation, machine learning, and the search for “killer applications” that might actually prove useful.

Which Real-World Use Cases for Quantum Computers Are Now on the Way?, IDTechEx, May 2024. Industry analysis of what major companies are actually developing. HSBC building quantum-ready financial products, automotive companies exploring battery simulations, finance sector investigating portfolio optimisation. Discusses the role of expert middlemen given the quantum talent shortage.

Top 9 Applications of Quantum Computing In 2024, EPB, May 2024. Focuses on cybersecurity implications including both threats (breaking encryption) and solutions (quantum key distribution, quantum-resistant algorithms). Covers logistics, finance, and supply chain applications.

5 Crucial Quantum Computing Applications & Examples, The Quantum Insider, August 2024. Discusses quantum simulation for drug discovery, machine learning improvements, and practical use cases from companies like Airbus, Volkswagen, and JP Morgan Chase. Notes that both large companies and startups are exploring applications.

Quantum Computing in HPC: Real-World Applications, QuEra, December 2024. Examines quantum computing’s role in high-performance computing centres. Discusses Volkswagen’s traffic optimisation pilot and HSBC’s quantum-secure transactions. Addresses the financial investment and ROI considerations for HPC centres adopting quantum technology.

14 Quantum Computing Use Cases Reshaping the Future, BlueQubit, 2024. Comprehensive overview from drug discovery and protein folding through financial modeling, cryptography, and smart city applications. Acknowledges that practical quantum advantage remains “predominantly in research stages” whilst outlining promising pathways.

Annual reviews and trend analysis

Quantum Computing 2024: AI, Innovation & Research Trends, First Ignite, February 2025. Discusses role of AI in quantum computing, university research, and applications across industries. Covers quantum supremacy efforts, quantum software development, and progress toward quantum internet.

An Introduction to Quantum Computing and Its Applications, Mandeep Singh and Albert H. Carlson, Cyber Defense Review, 2024. Military and policy perspective on quantum computing. Discusses quantum sensing for navigation, cryptography threats, and national investment (55 billion dollars as of June 2024). Notes that as of March 2024, quantum computers primarily used for simulations, optimisation, and data analysis with most applications still theoretical.

Bitcoin and quantum: a special case of hype

Bitcoin vs. Quantum Computing: More Hype Than Reality, MARA, one month ago. Examines specific claims about quantum threats to Bitcoin. Notes that breaking Bitcoin’s encryption would require 317 million physical qubits within an hour or 6,000 qubits over five years, whilst current quantum computers have around 100 qubits. Google’s Willow chip has 105 qubits versus the 13 million needed to break Bitcoin. Provides useful reality check on quantum cryptography threats.

The qubits are temperamental, the promises are extravagant, and the reality is complicated. Just like everything else in technology, only more so.