In our earlier episodes #10 and #11, we learned something deeply counterintuitive about electrons and other particles that obey quantum laws. These quantum particles behave differently depending on whether we observe them or not. The very act of observation disturbs the system and changes its behaviour.
This single idea turns out to be so powerful that it gives rise to two fundamentally different ways of building a quantum computer. To understand them intuitively, let us begin with a story.
A Tale of Two Journeys
Journey 1: Blindly Following the Map
Imagine you are driving in a completely new city. You have no idea where you are, but you need to reach a destination. What do you do?
You open Google Maps and follow it blindly.
Take a left here
Go straight for 500 meters
Take the second exit at the roundabout
You do not stop to ask where you are. You do not check landmarks. You simply trust the instructions and hope they will get you to the destination.
Now imagine a different situation. There is no Google Maps and no physical map. Instead, a friend gives you a list of landmarks.
Look for a tall glass building
At the junction, check for a statue
If you see a bakery, you have gone too far
So you constantly look around, check where you are, and adjust your route based on what you observe.
