Physicists have long boasted of their success in “quantum 1.0” technology – semiconductor junctions, transistors, lasers and so on.

But the future will increasingly depend on “quantum 2.0” technology, which taps into phenomena like superposition and entanglement to permit everything from quantum computing and cryptography to quantum sensing, timing and imaging.

According to one estimate by Honeywell, in fact, such technology could be worth $1 trillion over the next three decades.

The December 2021 issue of Physics World magazine, which is now out, is here to guide you through the latest trends in quantum 2.0.

Philip Ball talks to researchers, business analysts and insiders at firms ranging from IBM to IonQ, while Michael Allen examines the commercial potential of quantum gravity sensors.

There are interviews with Ilena Wisby, chief executive of Oxford Quantum Circuits, as well as with the head of KETS Quantum Security, Chris Erven.

Careers editor Laura Hiscott is on hand to look at the job opportunities in the area, while James McKenzie hot foots it back from a quantum tech showcase that took place in London last month.

And if you need a guide to quantum computing to prime any wannabe investor, Hamish Johnston has the perfect book for you.

If you’re a member of the Institute of Physics, you can read the whole of Physics World magazine every month via our digital apps for iOS, Android and Web browsers. Let us know what you think about the issue on Twitter, Facebook or by e-mailing us at pwld@ioppublishing.org.

For the record, here’s a rundown of what else is in the issue.

• A quantum promise – Freeke Heijman from Quantum Delta NL tells Martijn Boerkamp how the Netherlands is forging ahead in quantum technologies

• Call for “great observatory” to succeed Hubble – Michael Banks reveals the highlights of the long-awaited Astro2020 Decadal Survey, which will define the course of astronomy and astrophysics in the US and beyond over the next 10 years

• Towards quantum 2.0 – James McKenzie is excited about the prospects of firms that are developing technology based on seemingly esoteric fundamental quantum phenomena

• Quantum conundrum – While the technological applications of quantum mechanics are bright, its meaning remains opaque. Thankfully, as Robert P Crease explains, philosophers of science are working on it

• The quantum battleground – Yangyang Cheng examines a historical precedent for the emerging technological rivalry between the US and China

• Ethics in the quantum age – Mauritz Kop assesses the ethical principles we must all adopt so that the application of quantum technologies is equitable and safe

Read more

The quantum Y2K moment

• Setting the scene for a quantum marketplace – As quantum computing makes its first forays from the lab to the real world, are the latest claims mere hype causing a bubble that will burst before the field finds its feet? Or are investors and researchers right to be enthusiastic about this burgeoning technological revolution? Philip Ball investigates the
successes and pitfalls of commercializing quantum information technology

• The key to our quantum future – Safeguarding our communications data and infrastructures will become a much harder task in a quantum-enabled future. KETS Quantum Security chief executive Chris Erven talks to Tushna Commissariat about how integrating quantum based systems into existing communication is key

• Sensing gravity, the quantum way – Devices that exploit the extreme sensitivity of quantum states are making their way out of the lab and into everything from construction and healthcare to seismology. Michael Allen learns more about the
technology that goes into building a quantum gravity sensor, and its multitude of uses in research and industry

• Quantum for all – Building a firm foundation Oxford Quantum Circuits chief executive llana Wisby talks to Tushna Commissariat about UK investments and innovation in quantum technology, and the potentially world-changing impact that it could have

• Quantum physics for investors – Hamish Johnston reviews Quantum Computing: How It Works and Why It Could Change the World by Amit Katwala, WIRED

• Dealing with deniers – Rachel Brazil reviews How to Talk to a Science Denier: Conversations with Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers, and Others Who Defy Reason by Lee McIntyre

• Brilliant polymath, troubled person – Andrew Robinson reviews The Man from the Future: the Visionary Life of John von Neumann by Ananyo Bhattacharya

• A tale of two scientists – Laura Hiscott reviews Flashes of Creation: George Gamow, Fred Hoyle, and the Great Big Bang Debate by Paul Halpern

• How to get ahead in quantum tech – The quantum industry is blossoming and has lots of new and exciting jobs that physicists are well placed to fill. Laura Hiscott talks to experts who have studied the quantum-tech jobs market about what’s on offer and what skills you’ll need to forge a successful career in this area

• Ask me anything – Careers advice from Farai Mazhandu, chief executive and co-founder of Bayete Quantum Technologies

• Winter wonder worlds – The winter holiday season comes but once a year – on Earth. Eleanor Spring takes a tour through some of the seasonal extremities experienced on distant worlds. A chilly Earth winter never looked so inviting!