Human beings create a lot of data in the digital age—whether it's through everyday items like social media posts, emails and Google searches, or more complex information about health, finances and scientific findings.
The International Data Corp. reported that the global datasphere contained 33 zettabytes, or 33 trillion gigabytes, in 2018. By 2025, they expect that number to grow to 175 zettabytes. 175 zettabytes of information stored on DVDs would fill enough DVDs to circle Earth 222 times.
While quantum computing has been touted as a way to intelligently sort through big data, quantum environments are difficult to create and maintain. Entangled quantum bit states, or qubits, usually last less than a second before collapsing. Qubits are also highly sensitive to their surrounding environments and must be stored at cryogenic temperatures.
In a paper published in Communications Physics, researchers in the University of Arizona Department of Materials Science and Engineering have demonstrated the possibility for acoustic waves in a classical environment to do the work of quantum information processing without the time limitations and fragility.
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