- 5 days ago
New quantum computer for hitherto impossible tasks / An airship measures aerosols / Why temperature is tied to altitude / Building structures with reusable blocks / The advantages of wooden houses.
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00:00The future of computing lies in the quantum realm.
00:09Quantum computers promise to one day deliver more accurate climate and weather forecasts,
00:14for instance, or accelerate drug development.
00:17Current models only work under very special conditions.
00:21They need to be unbelievably cold, close to absolute zero, for their superconducting
00:25circuits to function.
00:27But then they can perform tasks far beyond the ability of conventional computers.
00:35The world of qubits and much more, this time on Tomorrow Today.
00:39Welcome to the show.
00:45Inside this windowless cube near Munich lies the Leibniz supercomputing center, a heavily
00:51shielded facility that's home to some of Europe's most powerful electronic devices.
00:57But soon, a single machine will offer more computing power than all these supercomputers
01:03combined.
01:04The EuroQ-EXA, a quantum computer.
01:07One of six such supercomputers in Europe, it's been built to research and advance the technology.
01:13On the outside, the quantum computer looks pretty modest.
01:17But beneath its unassuming exterior hides a cutting edge masterpiece of computing tech that scientists
01:23can use to enter a whole new world.
01:26One inhabited by the tiniest building blocks in our universe.
01:30One not limited to virtualities like that shown in this VR simulator.
01:35It's a mind-bending world, where you have to suspend your understanding of cause and effect.
01:42One where particles exchange information faster than the speed of light.
01:47A lot of high hopes and expectations surround the EuroQ-EXA.
01:55Research into new drugs is a good example.
01:58We're already able to simulate individual molecules or medications today, but we need
02:04far more computing power to do it on a large scale.
02:08The hope is that quantum computers will help us run these simulations, allowing us to design
02:14newer, better medicines.
02:18Quantum computers could also revolutionize fields like logistics, throwing open whole new
02:23horizons by calculating optimal traffic and supply flows.
02:27They can do that because quantum computers are wired completely differently than conventional
02:33computers are.
02:35They run on binary code, where information is represented by just two states, a zero or
02:42a one.
02:44Power is either on or off, and the smallest unit is called a bit.
02:50Imagine coins showing either heads or tails.
02:57The advantage of a system like this is that it provides clear answers, and the information
03:02is readable at any time.
03:10Quantum computers, on the other hand, use what are called superpositions.
03:15Imagine a coin that's not at rest, but spinning.
03:18So it's neither heads nor tails, but both at once, and theoretically even states in between.
03:26These overlapping states allow quantum algorithms to explore multiple possibilities simultaneously
03:32through units known as qubits.
03:35The catch?
03:36As long as the coin is spinning, you can't observe its state.
03:39To do so, you would have to stop it, which would end the calculation.
03:43Measuring or reading out a potential result causes the system to collapse.
03:49This delicate process is unstable and prone to error.
03:53Just one reason why quantum computers remain difficult to implement.
03:58A quantum computer can calculate incorrectly because its qubit states are influenced from
04:06outside.
04:08Someone can walk past with a cell phone and the qubit changes state, causing errors.
04:14The precision is so extreme in a quantum computer, it's so sensitive, that any disturbance can
04:20lead to incorrect results.
04:26So why go to all this effort to develop one?
04:29The answer to that question lies in a unique quantum property, entanglement.
04:34Particles can form a link that leads to them affecting each other across any distance.
04:39The information travels from one to another instantaneously, faster than light can travel.
04:46In a conventional computer, each added bit gives one more unit of information, but it
04:51can only calculate for one state at a time.
04:55In a quantum computer, each additional qubit multiplies the number of states exponentially
05:01that can be calculated simultaneously.
05:05This can be illustrated by what's known as the traveling salesman problem.
05:09Say a traveler wants to visit Germany's 15 largest cities and wants to know the shortest
05:14route to take.
05:15There are over 43 billion possibilities.
05:20At least in theory, a conventional digital computer would have to check routes one after
05:26another, taking a huge amount of time.
05:35Quantum computers, on the other hand, can present all of the routes instantaneously.
05:42Then it comes down to asking the right question.
05:46If you do so, the correct solution would appear the next moment.
05:51I picture it like a rod that has a line of spinning coins on top of it, so they're neither heads
05:59nor tails.
06:04Then I can tell the quantum computer, I want the combination of heads and tails that tells
06:10me the shortest route.
06:14And in that suspended state, it figures out how each coin must land to produce that ideal
06:21result.
06:25But the power of parallel computing also harbors risks.
06:29If they can be made to work, quantum computers would be perfect code breakers, posing a threat
06:35to our current digital infrastructure.
06:37They could break through firewalls in seconds.
06:42Encryptions that would take us millions of years to perform could be done very quickly,
06:45so it could break all of the encryption we currently use.
06:49All the messages from the last 30 years that have been stored somewhere could suddenly
06:53be read, even if they were encrypted.
06:58It wouldn't be the first time a technological leap made a kind of encryption obsolete.
07:04In the Second World War, the secret code produced by Germany's unbreakable Enigma machine
07:10was cracked by British mathematician Alan Turing at his team, using one of the first computers.
07:21I think that we know this problem is coming.
07:24We're just unsure about the timing.
07:26We don't know when.
07:29We need to prepare solutions before quantum computers fully work.
07:38It'll take years before quantum computers pose a real threat to networks.
07:43Meanwhile, EuroQ-EXO will continue to unlock new applications, but also help us explore future
07:50risks posed by other future quantum computers, and develop defenses to counter them.
08:05Quantum computers can process enormous amounts of data, but only if they're fed the right kind.
08:10For example, information collected by a research airship flying high above the Alps in southern
08:16Germany.
08:17A team there is measuring particulate pollution in the atmosphere, far from the lowlands where
08:22it's emitted.
08:26A measurement campaign is set to begin above the slopes of Germany's highest peak, the
08:31Zugspitze, although dense cloud cover and snowfall could still cancel the research flight.
08:38With our airship, we want to measure aerosol concentration and composition here.
08:44Tiny aerosols can be bad for your health.
08:48Special instruments mounted on the airship analyze aerosols, fine dust particles in the
08:54air.
08:55What are they made of?
08:56How tiny are they?
08:57The smaller they are, the easier it is for them to enter our bodies and cause damage.
09:03Some particles also contribute to global warming.
09:07Devices like this will give the researchers a better overview of air quality.
09:11The first part, the bright, bright one, is the inlet so-called.
09:15It's heated up to 50 Celsius degrees to avoid sampling droplets of water.
09:22Water evaporates, and the pump there sucks through these impactors.
09:28The air and the part of the aerosol particles are deposited according to the site on the substrate.
09:36The small airship holds 44 cubic meters of helium.
09:41Before takeoff, the researchers test the rotors that provide impetus and lift, along with the
09:46landing flaps and steering rotors.
09:49So why a Zeppelin and not a plane?
09:55Because it allows us to map a three-dimensional space in much finer detail.
10:00We can adjust altitude precisely and fly exact loops, creating a detailed 3D image.
10:08That's not possible with an airplane.
10:13The weather improves a little.
10:14It's stopped snowing, but visibility remains poor.
10:19And gusty winds could endanger the airship.
10:22Even so, the researchers decide to risk it.
10:27The fog is moving in fast, so we'll head back and practice a safe landing.
10:33The scientists also want to test the Zeppelin's resilience under tough conditions like these.
10:39If visibility improves, they'll begin full-scale measurements.
10:44Next year, they want to take the vehicle to test the air north of the Arctic Circle, in
10:49the hope that their data might help reduce air pollution.
10:54As we just saw, it's cold up on the Zugspitze.
11:00Around 200 days a year, the temperature on Germany's highest peak doesn't climb above freezing.
11:05And on about 40 days, it falls below minus 10 degrees Celsius.
11:10Which brings us to a head-scratcher of a question sent in by our viewer, Aziz.
11:18Why is it colder on top of a mountain, even though it's closer to the sun?
11:24It's a long way from Earth to our solar system star.
11:28So far that it takes light more than eight minutes to travel from it to us.
11:33Roughly 150 million kilometers.
11:37Even climbing from sea level up to the very top of Earth's tallest peak, Mount Everest,
11:42would only bring you about 9 kilometers closer to the sun.
11:46Not nearly enough to feel any warmer.
11:50In fact, if you took that trek, you'd actually notice the opposite.
11:55The higher you climbed, the colder and more icy it would become.
12:02On average, the temperature drops by around 6.5 degrees Celsius for every 1,000 meters of elevation.
12:09So what's really going on?
12:13It all comes down to air pressure.
12:16That's a measure of how many air molecules are in the atmosphere at a given altitude.
12:21It works like this.
12:23At low altitudes, air molecules in the atmosphere are more densely packed together because the
12:29pull of gravity is higher there.
12:31The molecules are also compressed by the kilometers thick blanket of air molecules above them.
12:37Because it's denser, the air at low altitudes presses on the things it surrounds more than
12:42it does on a mountaintop.
12:44In other words, atmospheric pressure is highest at low altitudes.
12:49It can be measured in units called millibars.
12:51At sea level, atmospheric pressure is a little over 1,000 millibars.
12:56On top of Mount Fuji in Japan, for instance, it's only around two-thirds of that.
13:03Air molecules at lower elevations are also warmed by the ground below, which has absorbed energy
13:09from the sun.
13:10But warm air moves upwards in the atmosphere.
13:13As the air molecules rise, they spread out and lose energy.
13:18Fewer air molecules in thinner air means less heat is carried and transferred.
13:24And it gets colder.
13:29So when you climb a really high mountain, you might be a few kilometers closer to the sun,
13:34but that has a negligible effect.
13:37What really makes a difference in air temperature is the big drop in air pressure and the way
13:42heat moves through our atmosphere as you get closer to the peak.
13:46It's always going to be colder up there.
13:51What are stars made of?
13:53How many colors can butterflies see?
13:56Could robots have babies one day?
13:59Do you have a science question?
14:01Then send it to us as a video, text or voice message.
14:05If we answer it in the show, then we'll send you a little gift as a thank you.
14:08So go on, just ask.
14:15If you loved playing with building blocks as a kid, you'll enjoy this next story.
14:19A team of engineers wants to build real houses using a modular block system.
14:25One that allows you to throw together a structure, take it apart and put it back up.
14:30Anytime, anywhere.
14:34So we're building our model wall now.
14:36We'll start with the three block on the side, then continue with the four block.
14:40And at the end, we'll finish things up with twos and threes.
14:46From this warehouse, Robert Rössler and Tibor Bedeke hope to transform the construction industry.
14:53They've designed a system of blocks that snap together, no mortar or glue required.
14:59That also means everything can be later dismantled and reused.
15:06One of Germany's biggest problems is the lack of fast, affordable housing.
15:10With this technology, we can achieve that.
15:13It's a very simple block system.
15:15Anyone can build with it.
15:17Their company has spent over a decade refining the system of interlocking parts, perfecting
15:22every detail.
15:24Bedeke's passion for building started long ago.
15:27I've been fascinated by these things since I was little.
15:32I used to take everything apart just to see what was inside, then put it back together again
15:37or invent new things.
15:41You can create all kinds of buildings with just four types of blocks.
15:47First, there's the two block, the smallest of them.
15:52Then the three block, the four, and the largest, the five block.
15:58It's a little like Lego blocks or Tetris.
16:05The blocks connect together like pieces of a 3D puzzle.
16:09In just 17 minutes, the demo wall is finished.
16:15The system is designed to keep every piece whole.
16:20It's easy to dismantle, and the blocks can be reused.
16:24That was a top priority for the company.
16:27I'm inserting facade connectors now.
16:32If we want a circular system to reuse the blocks, then we can't damage them.
16:37So to hook facades together, we need special connectors.
16:44The blocks can be used for exterior facades and interior walls.
16:49Adding insulation is easy and fast.
16:55This is what it looks like insulated.
16:58Of course, I did it by hand, but usually it'd be blown in by machines.
17:04And you can vacuum it out just as easily, so the insulation can be reused too.
17:12Dismantling the structure goes even quicker.
17:15It disappears in just 12 minutes.
17:18The company is planning a system that'll make it easy to return its products, treating construction
17:24as a circular economy.
17:28We don't want a block that's been produced and used ending up as waste.
17:33We want to give it to another customer.
17:35The blocks are almost like new after dismantling and can go straight to another site.
17:43The material used to make the elements has been through extensive, long-term testing.
17:49The company originally developed the system for use in self-help projects, like building
17:53schools and kindergartens in Namibia in 2018, quickly and affordably.
18:05Sustainability has been a key driver from the start.
18:09Like standard concrete, their hollow blocks are mainly made of sand and gravel.
18:18These are the kinds of sands we add, three types with different sizes of grain, all from
18:23the region.
18:24They're a primary component in the mix.
18:29But unlike conventional concrete, there's no cement involved.
18:34Because making it is bad for the environment, the company's material scientists eliminated
18:39it from their process.
18:41Something else binds the sand and other components together.
18:45Then we add our binder material.
18:47It's a mix of fly ash and slag.
18:52Those two materials come from coal and steel production.
18:57By avoiding cement, the firm claims it cuts CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent compared to
19:04normal concrete.
19:07The pioneers aren't finished with their efforts to turn the construction industry into more
19:13of a circular economy.
19:16They hope to one day make their Lego block building elements even greener by eliminating
19:21petroleum-based components entirely.
19:24Building with wood is also sustainable and Europe is seeing something of a boom in the
19:32sector with the material.
19:34Modern houses made mostly from wooden components need almost no extra insulation, stay cool in
19:40summer and help cut heating costs in winter.
19:47A wooden house in central Germany.
19:50The walls on the ground floor are made from entire logs, the upper floor from cross-laminated
19:56timber.
19:57Michel Makert and his family have lived here for two years and they love it.
20:03The house was designed and built by Karl Manns.
20:06His company has specialized in solid wood structures for decades.
20:12The atmosphere in a wooden house makes you feel close to nature.
20:17It's like living in a log cabin.
20:19You're surrounded by wood.
20:25The Makerts clearly feel comfortable in their home, which by the way uses far less energy
20:30than energy consultants predicted.
20:33No surprise for Karl Manns.
20:35He says energy consumption in solid wood houses is often a third lower than calculated, which
20:40means we could build more efficiently if we were allowed to calculate based on real energy
20:48consumption.
20:49We could work with less material and build thinner walls, use less wood to achieve the
20:55same thermal effect.
21:00So what's behind the gap between projections and reality?
21:07One reason is thermal comfort.
21:09When the inner surfaces of outer walls are warmer, we can feel comfortable even when air temperatures
21:15are lower.
21:16And each degree of air temperature can save six to seven percent in heating energy.
21:25The energy-saving potential comes from wood's physical properties.
21:32Buildings made entirely of wood insulate best.
21:36In this factory, houses are built from cross-laminated timber, layers of boards glued at right angles
21:43to one another for stability.
21:46Superior walls can have up to nine layers.
21:51Openings for doors and windows are also cut in the factory.
21:56Entire walls are then loaded onto trucks.
22:03In energy terms, the key factor is how much heat, thermal radiation, a wall lets through.
22:09In that test, compared to concrete, wood is by far superior.
22:15The concrete walls need extra insulation on their outer surfaces.
22:19Wooden walls don't.
22:22They're excellent insulators all on their own.
22:28At his company's site, Karl Manns conducts his own measurements in an attempt to explain
22:34why his houses use less energy than predicted.
22:38And he has scientific backing.
22:40Wieland Becker has studied wood's physical properties for years.
22:45Inside these test structures are sensors that deliver a lot of data.
22:55We measure not only surface temperatures and the differences between inside and outside,
23:00but also air temperature and humidity.
23:04Those are necessary to study values assigned to comfort, which are crucial for building quality.
23:16These test structures aren't unique.
23:19Copies of them also stand in different climate zones throughout the world.
23:24Using wood for construction is a hot research topic globally.
23:27Karl Manns works closely with teams in the U.S.
23:31American researchers have long recognized the advantages of solid wood construction.
23:37Michel Salonvara is convinced the material will play a bigger role in future buildings.
23:43Based on the research, we can find that mass timber certainly has benefits in different climates.
23:54They show lower energy use and up to 50 percent lower feed demand in certain findings.
24:02And we want to find out why those are happening.
24:05Why the mass buildings are having lower energy consumption than predicted.
24:10Wood's energy properties have clearly been underestimated.
24:15It makes sense to use the climate-friendly material far more often in the building industry.
24:21Don't know about you, but we're still thinking about our first report on the crazy way things seem to work in the quantum world.
24:31One colleague finds it so confusing, he dedicated a song to the topic.
24:36Take it away, Esteban Pardo.
24:39I don't understand quantum physics, the tiny world, the one we can see.
24:52Everything's so strange, it doesn't make any sense.
24:58Are they particles, who are they waves?
25:02Don't be surprised if they are both, they can pass through walls, or tangle together in a wall.
25:15Don't expect what you know, just stand on the show.
25:21They don't behave like you do.
25:25They don't behave like you do.
25:29It's all about the mobility door.
25:34That wraps things up.
25:44Thanks for joining us, and hope to see you again next time on Tomorrow Today.
25:49Bye for now.
25:51Bye for now.
25:52Bye for now.
26:04Bye for now.
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