I like watching popular science type videos. Everybody who tries to explain quantum mechanics always uses the word "collapse" and they always pull it out of nowhere and make no effort to describe what the hell they're talking about. Why is this? Are they being paid off by the dictionary people to use specifically that word or something? Do I have to actually learn physics if I want to know what's going on here?
Large language models are quite useful to perform searches through the literature, so you have a good point to start. So, this is what I just got asking ChatGPT for references for the numerical calculation of the replica correlation lengths in topologically ordered systems:
1. Pizorn & Verstraete (2010):
Title: “Topological entanglement entropy in PEPS”
Journal: Physical Review A, 81, 032307 (2010).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.032307
2. Orús, Wei, Buerschaper, Van den Nest (2013):
Title: “Geometric entanglement in topologically ordered states”
Journal: Physical Review A, 87, 042328 (2013).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.87.042328
3. Schuch, Pérez-García, and Verstraete (2010):
Title: “Classifying quantum phases using matrix product states and PEPS”
Journal: Physical Review B, 81, 024451 (2010).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.81.024451
4. Schuch, Cirac, Verstraete (2011):
Title: “Classifying topologically ordered phases in 2+1 dimensions using matrix product states and PEPS”
Journal: Annals of Physics, 325, 2153-2215 (2010).
DOI: 10.1016/j.aop.2010.04.003
5. Pizorn, Verstraete (2010):
Title: “Topological entanglement entropy in PEPS and tensor networks”
Journal: Physical Review A, 81, 052324 (2010).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.052324
Very nice! Well, until you realize that all five references are totally made up and the provided DOIs are either 404s or go to completely different papers.
I feel being snarXived.
“Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” #quantum #cryptography https://thewalrus.ca/quantum-computing
“Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” #quantum #cryptography https://thewalrus.ca/quantum-computing
Large language models are quite useful to perform searches through the literature, so you have a good point to start. So, this is what I just got asking ChatGPT for references for the numerical calculation of the replica correlation lengths in topologically ordered systems:
1. Pizorn & Verstraete (2010):
Title: “Topological entanglement entropy in PEPS”
Journal: Physical Review A, 81, 032307 (2010).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.032307
2. Orús, Wei, Buerschaper, Van den Nest (2013):
Title: “Geometric entanglement in topologically ordered states”
Journal: Physical Review A, 87, 042328 (2013).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.87.042328
3. Schuch, Pérez-García, and Verstraete (2010):
Title: “Classifying quantum phases using matrix product states and PEPS”
Journal: Physical Review B, 81, 024451 (2010).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.81.024451
4. Schuch, Cirac, Verstraete (2011):
Title: “Classifying topologically ordered phases in 2+1 dimensions using matrix product states and PEPS”
Journal: Annals of Physics, 325, 2153-2215 (2010).
DOI: 10.1016/j.aop.2010.04.003
5. Pizorn, Verstraete (2010):
Title: “Topological entanglement entropy in PEPS and tensor networks”
Journal: Physical Review A, 81, 052324 (2010).
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.052324
Very nice! Well, until you realize that all five references are totally made up and the provided DOIs are either 404s or go to completely different papers.
I feel being snarXived.
Cisco has launched a quantum-networking software system that is working towards integrating #quantum networks with classical computers and conventional computer networks. https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-networks-cisco-quantum-computing?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline
Cisco has launched a quantum-networking software system that is working towards integrating #quantum networks with classical computers and conventional computer networks. https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-networks-cisco-quantum-computing?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline
Inspired by #Schrödinger I have maybe got a non-lethal solution to Australia's #feralcat problem.
If we put out a very large number of cardboard boxes...
#quantum #cats #catsofmastodon
Amazing update in Signal protocol
The Post Quantum makeover. Read more here
Amazing update in Signal protocol
The Post Quantum makeover. Read more here
Large language models are essentially solutions to nonlinear optimization problems to predict the next token in the output text. Mathematically, these problems are quite similar to problems we routinely face in physics, like finding the ground state of a quantum system.
In these physics problems, we observe a recurring pattern: First, someone comes up with a new class of solutions (we call this a "variational ansatz") and there is tremendous progress, allowing to solve previously hard problems in a near-miraculous way. However, once the low-hanging fruits have been reaped, the remaining problems stay hard. Throwing vastly more computing power at it helps a little bit, but produces quickly diminishing returns.
I'm pretty sure that's exactly what has happened with the advent of transformers for natural language processing.
Large language models are essentially solutions to nonlinear optimization problems to predict the next token in the output text. Mathematically, these problems are quite similar to problems we routinely face in physics, like finding the ground state of a quantum system.
In these physics problems, we observe a recurring pattern: First, someone comes up with a new class of solutions (we call this a "variational ansatz") and there is tremendous progress, allowing to solve previously hard problems in a near-miraculous way. However, once the low-hanging fruits have been reaped, the remaining problems stay hard. Throwing vastly more computing power at it helps a little bit, but produces quickly diminishing returns.
I'm pretty sure that's exactly what has happened with the advent of transformers for natural language processing.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/04/quantum-computing-firm-reaches-10bn-valuation-as-investor-interest-builds
It takes 10 hours on a laptop accurately simulating 5 seconds of a worm wiggling: https://archive.is/0j2Jp (and we still cannot simulate more than 20-30 #quantum particles exactly). Please be humble when the universe is present! #modeling #complexity (through @loriemerson )
It takes 10 hours on a laptop accurately simulating 5 seconds of a worm wiggling: https://archive.is/0j2Jp (and we still cannot simulate more than 20-30 #quantum particles exactly). Please be humble when the universe is present! #modeling #complexity (through @loriemerson )
I almost overlooked that I've been on #Mastodon for a full year now. I must say, I was sceptical in the beginning, but I feel that we have been making continuous progress in terms of reach and interesting content, while at the same time not falling for too excessive spam. Keep it up 👍!
Since many scientific institutions have joined in recent months, and with them hopefully many more scientists, it's maybe time for an updated #introduction
I'm a theoretical physicist who works as a postdoc at the Math Institute in Oxford 🐂. My research is about #quantum field theory, with an emphasis on combinatorics. Some aspects are rather "hands on", such as the numerical values and distribution of Feynman integrals, which is input for new numerical methods to compute scattering cross sections. Other aspects of my work are rather mathematical, such as the relationship between topological field theory and the cohomology of the odd graph complex. I have a website that contains a summary of my research and a sporadic blog about my postdoc life and what to do with physics in real life. https://paulbalduf.com