High-speed computers the cornerstone of scientific and technological progress

Scientific and technological progress is completely dependent on the power and speed of the computers we have today. While more studies are required than classical computers provide, the demand for the development and construction of supercomputers and quantum computers has increased recently. Here is the difference between them.

Quantum computers and supercomputers are now used to conduct advanced studies in many fields, from physics and medicine to aerospace and defence, because the power and speed of classical computers are not enough to meet big business.

For example, using a classical computer we can solve a complex and difficult computational problem in hundreds of years, but a supercomputer allows us to solve it in an hour, and a quantum computer does it in one second.

In the same context, the head of the Computer Software Department at Al-Furat University, Professor Muhammad Qara Koussa, confirms to TRT Haber : "If you want to carry out large engineering projects or work in the space field, and if you want to do advanced and really good work. In the field of artificial intelligence, you should, of course, have a supercomputer or a quantum computer."

What is the difference between supercomputers and quantum computers?

Professor Karakosa explains that supercomputers basically operate in the same logic as everyday computers, as they can be thought of as a collection of thousands of personal computers. But the logic of quantum computers is completely different. While classical computers rely on “bit” logic, quantum computers rely on “qubits” and quantum mechanics.

Although the logic of quantum computers and supercomputers is different, both mean tremendous speed and power, which means the superior ability to carry out work in all fields.

Today, quantum computers are not uncommon and cannot be bought, as giant tech companies have to build them themselves. One of those companies is IBM, which has a quantum computer of about 50 qubits, and NASA also owns a quantum computer with a size of 1027 qubits, which was developed by the companies (D-Wave) and Google. As well as Google, which owns a computer of 72 qubits, and Intel, which has a size of 49 qubits.

How common are supercomputers?

Every year a list of the 500 best supercomputers is published. According to July 2021 data, the best supercomputer in the world is in Japan. The fugaku supercomputer contains 7.6 million cores (the heart of every computer operating system that serves as a link between computer hardware and software). Traditional computers usually have 4 or 8 cores.

And it is ranked second after (Fugaku), the American supercomputer (Summit), which contains 2.4 million cores. Followed by the computer (Sierra), which is used exclusively to control nuclear weapons in the United States in third place. China, Germany and Italy are in the top 10 on the list.

According to Professor Mehmet Karakosa, in 2007 Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) developed a supercomputer with nearly 11,000 cores, which entered the list of the top 500 supercomputers in June 2007 in the 240th place. Noting that after 5 months, In November 2007, it fell to 484th place, due to the construction of 244 new computers around the world.

Turkish projects in quantum computing

Karakosa stressed several times during his speech the need for more research and studies on quantum computers in Turkey. He explained that they are trying to train researchers in this field, and that they have started a new project with the support of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

This project will focus on producing software that runs on quantum computers using artificial intelligence. Karakosa indicated that they will use IBM's infrastructure in some verifications in the project they started last March, which is the first Turkish project in this regard.

At the end of his speech, Professor Karakosa pointed to the issue of cybersecurity and how quantum computers can turn into lethal weapons in the hands of hackers. "If a quantum computer is going to be a security concern, the only way to stop it is a quantum computer on the other end to counteract it just as quickly," he added.