Mutating super bugs are surpassing our ability to develop effective antibiotics to combat them. In addition, we thought it may be helpful to incorporate our hypothesis. It goes as follows: If quantum computing leverages quantum superposition and entanglement to run a large quantity of parallel simulations, then it will lead to the discovery of new and innovative phage therapies to target specific strains of antimicrobial resistant bacteria saving millions of lives from superbugs.

We began our project with us developing a problem. We then directed our efforts towards specifying the problem into a rough glimpse of our hypothesis, after roughly 15 minutes we had succeeded in revising and wordsmithing our hypothesis into a satisfactory thesis. We next turned our attention to describing quantum computing which lead to the construction of our quantum computing research slides, after editing it to what we deemed adequate we started on collecting information for the ascension of the quantum theory duology and molding it into a rough draft. Fast forward another hour or so and we had fully completed the ascension of the quantum theory slides. We then agreed that it would be an appropriate time to add some background information on bacteriophages: viruses that infect bacteria with phenomenal accuracy. After getting the fairly daunting task out of the way we launched into two slides on superposition and entanglement to further promote bystanders understandings of the two byzantine quantum properties. We then took up the task of simplifying our currently complicating background into accessible shorter slides we refer to as the in a nutshell slides. At this point in the project we decided to write and finalize conclusion then append a relevant what's next. After fully getting the content down we began immersing ourselves in the process of adding pictures and just making the project visually appealing in general.

Bacteriophages in a Nutshell  

• Bacteriophages or phages are viruses that infect specific bacteria with phenomenal accuracy.
• Unlike antibiotics, phages are like guided missiles that only attack what they are supposed to.
• Once attached, phages inject their genetic material into the host cell and hijack its bacterial machinery.
• The reason bacteriophages aren't being widely used is because the process of matching the specific phage with its corresponding bacteria is costly and labour intensive
• This is where quantum computing comes in, it can test a multitude of scenarios several orders of magnitude faster than ever possible on a classical computer. 
• Integrating quantum approaches with experimental microbiology could ultimately transform how phages are designed and deployed, offering a powerful new strategy against drug-resistant infections.

Bacteriophages 

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria with phenomenal accuracy. By recognizing precise molecular receptors on bacterial surfaces, phages selectively target particular strains which makes them superior to normal antibiotics. To put they're truly immense accuracy in perspective, you can imagine antibiotics as bombs that wipe out even the good bacteria in the intestines you don't want to harm. Consequently, this can lead to cons including significantly weakened immune function, exhausted immune responses, liver strain and kidney stress. In contrast, phages are like guided missiles that only attack what their supposed to. Once attached, phages inject their genetic material into the host cell and hijack its bacterial machinery. This highly targeted mechanism has renewed interest in phages as potential beneficial tools. The precision that makes phages powerful simultaneously makes them scientifically complex. Effective phage therapy depends on understanding the intricacies of molecular interactions between viral proteins and bacterial receptors, as well as the evolutionary dynamics that shape these relationships. Classical computers struggle to fully capture this complexity, as simulating molecular binding and genetic interactions across a large domain is computationally demanding and time-consuming. Quantum computing offers a promising alternative for addressing these challenges. By leveraging quantum phenomena such as superposition, quantum models may explore vast molecular configuration spaces more efficiently than classical computers. In principle, this could enable faster and more accurate simulations of phage–bacteria interactions, including protein binding and host specificity. Such capabilities would support the rational design of custom phages tailored to target specific antibiotic-resistant bacteria, advancing precision medicine in antimicrobial therapy. Although quantum technology is still in its early stages, its potential to accelerate biological modeling is significant. Integrating quantum approaches with experimental microbiology could ultimately transform how phages are designed and deployed, offering a powerful new strategy against drug-resistant infections.

The Ascension of the Quantum Theory in a Nutshell 

1900: Max Planck postulated that light could act as a wave and a particle as opposed to the fairly Newtonian idea of light acting as solely a particle. This truly substantial discovery lead to the development of the quantum theory. 1920: Through the contributions of several physicists, including Einstein, Schrödinger and Heisenberg. The quantum theory also known as quantum mechanics emerged as an elegant and mathematically meticulous thesis. 1925: Quantum mechanics ended up proving to be extremely successful. For example, it was accurate to roughly 99.99% of calculations related to atoms electrons and light.   2026: The quantum theory is, to this day one of the most successful theories in existence. In addition, it laid out the framework for quantum computing.   

The Ascension of the Quantum Theory  

The rise of the quantum theory occurred in the early twentieth century and marked a transcendental transformation of humanity’s understanding of physical reality, fundamentally challenging the assumptions of classical physics. By the late nineteenth century, classical mechanics and electromagnetism, developed by Isaac Newton, James Maxwell , and others, were remarkably successful in explaining macroscopic phenomena. However, several experimental results including blackbody radiation, and atomic emission spectra could not be reconciled with classical theories. These inconsistencies revealed the limitations of classical physics and signaled the need for a new theoretical framework. The foundations of the quantum theory were laid in 1900 when Max Planck postulated that energy is emitted and absorbed in discrete packets to explain the blackbody radiation spectrum. Although Planck initially viewed this assumption as a mathematical convenience, it introduced the revolutionary idea that energy is not continuous at microscopic scales. This concept was further developed by Albert Einstein in 1905 through his explanation of the photoelectric effect, in which he argued that light itself consists of quantized packets of energy, later called photons. Einstein’s work provided strong evidence that quantization was a fundamental property of nature rather than a mere theoretical artifact. Einstein’s work and opinions provided strong evidence that quantization was a fundamental property of nature rather than a mere theoretical artifact. During the late 1920s, quantum mechanics emerged as a coherent and mathematically meticulous thesis through the contributions of scientists such as Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg and Erwin Schrödinger. The quantum theory also known as quantum mechanics ended up proving to be extremely successful, for example it was accurate to roughly 99.99% of calculations related to atoms electrons and light. Bohr’s model of the atom introduced quantized electron orbits, successfully explaining hydrogen’s emission spectrum, while Heisenberg’s matrix mechanics and Schrödinger’s wave mechanics offered two equivalent formulations of quantum behavior. These developments culminated in a new conceptual framework characterized by wave particle duality, probabilistic measurement outcomes, and the uncertainty principle, which asserts fundamental limits on the simultaneous measurement of certain physical quantities. The rise of quantum mechanics not only reshaped theoretical physics but also laid the foundation for quantum computing. 

Quantum Computing In a Nutshell 

• Classical computers are made up standard computer bits which can be set to either 0 or 1. A classical system has two defined states, like a light switch either completely on or completely off. 
• Quantum computers are made up of Qubits which promise much greater processing power because of two quantum properties: superposition and entanglement. 
• Together these properties allow for a kind of massive parallel processing, testing all possible solutions to a problem simultaneously and performing tasks far too complex for today’s classical computers.

Entanglement

• Entanglement is one of the most mind bending phenomenon in quantum physics.
• It means that two particle’s properties can be linked, even if they are a billion kilometers apart.
• When the state of one particle changes, the other one’s state instantly changes and that link happens faster than light could ever carry the information.
• Quantum computing ties into this via ensuring the computer remains accurate while processing high speed calculations and analyzing thousands of possibilities simultaneously.

Superposition

• Thanks to superposition a Qubit does not have to be simply a 0 or a 1 but could be for instance, a 0 with 30% probability and 1 with 70% probability. 
• Like a dimmer switch. This allows them to process vast amounts of data simultaneously rather than sequentially like classical bits. 

Quantum Computing Research Since the 1960’s the computational capacity of machines has experienced exponential growth, allowing for computers to get smaller and more powerful contemporaneously, but this process is about to meet its physical limits. Computer parts are approaching the size of an atom, the ultimate constituent of matter. In order to grasp the significance of this we first need to clarify some fundamental concepts. A computer is made up of immensely simple components doing fairly simple things, including representing data, the means of processing it and control mechanisms. Computer chips contain modules. Which contain certain logic gates which contain transistors. A transistor is the simplest unit of a data processor in computers, Essentially a switch that can either block or open the way for information coming through. This information is made up of bits, which can be set to either 0 or 1, combinations of several bits are utilized to represent more complex information. Transistors are combined to create logic gates which still do very simple things. For example an AND gate sends an output of 1 if all of its inputs are 1 and an output of zero otherwise. Combinations of logic gates finally form meaningful modules, say, for adding two numbers. Once you can add you can also multiply and once you can multiply you can do virtually anything. Since all basic operations are literally simpler than first grade math you can romanticize a computer as a gargantuan group of seven year olds answering really basic math questions. An adequately large bunch of them could compute anything from insidiously byzantine regions of quantum mechanics to mathematical optimization problems with a multitude of variables. Quantum physics are making things tricky. In essence a transistor is just a electric switch, and therefore electricity is just electrons moving from one place to another, so a switch is a passage that can block electrons from moving in one direction. Today a typical scale for transististors is about fourteen nanometers. As transistors are shrinking to the size of only a few atoms, electrons may just transfer themselves to the other side of a blocked passage via a process called quantum tunneling. In the quantum realm physics work quite differently from the predictable ways we are used to and traditional computers just stop making sense. We are approaching a real physical barrier for our technological progress. To solve this problem scientists are attempting to utilize these strange quantum properties to their advantage by constructing quantum supercomputers. In normal computers, bits are the smallest unit of information. Similarly, Quantum computers use qubits which can also be set to one of two values. A qubit can be any two level of a quantum system such as a spin and a magnetic field or a single photon. 0 and 1 are this systems possible states like the photons horizontal or vertical polarization. In the quantum world, a qubit doesn't have to be just one of those states, it can be in any proportions of both states at once. This is called superposition. But as soon as you test its value for example by sending the photon through a filter, it is obliged to manifest a particular behaviour. It must commit to be either horizontally or vertically polarized, so as long as its unperceived the qubit remains in a superposition of probabilities for zero and one and it's impossible to determine which it will be. But the instant you measure it, it collapses into one of the defined states. Superposition allows quantum systems hold multiple possibilities at once, unlocking the strange and powerful behaviours that define quantum physics.Four classical bits can be in one of two to the power of four configurations simultaneously. That's sixteen possible combinations, out of which you can use just one. Four qubits in superposition however, can be in all of those sixteen combinations simultaneously. This number propagates exponentially with each additional qubit. Twenty of them can already store a million values in parallel. An extremely weird and unintuitive property qubits can possess is entanglement. A close connection that makes each of the qubits react to a change in the others state instantaneously no matter how far they are apart. This means that by measuring just one entangled qubit, you can directly deduce the properties of its partners without having to look. Qubit manipulation can be an extremely transcendental thought as well. A normal logic gate gets a simple set of inputs and produces one definite output. A quantum gate however, manipulates an input of superpositions, rotates propabilities and produces an additional superposition as its output. So a quantum computer sets up some qubits, applys quantum gates to entangle them and manipulate probabilities and finally measures the outcome by collapsing superpositions to an actual sequence of zeros and ones. What this means is that you get the entire lot of calculations with your setup all done simultaneously. Ultimately, you can only measure one of the results and it will only probably be the one you want so you may have to double check and try again, but by cleverly exploiting superposition and entanglement this can be exponentially more efficient than would ever be possible on a normal computer.         

The following explains the substantial data that we uncovered and discovered throughout the course of our research:

How many superbugs pose a significant threat to humanity? How many bacteriophages have been identified that can target superbugs?

Researched the societal and economic impact of superbugs. Researched quantum computers and the properties of quantum physics namely superposition and entanglement which allow quantum computers to run multiple scenarios simultaneously.  Researched the advantages of phage therapy over antibiotics.  Researched bacteriophages, their ability to kill superbugs and why bacteriophages are so incredibly effective against superbugs especially those that cannot be treated by our current antibiotics.  Studied why bacteriophage therapy is not more widely available. Hypothesized that quantum computing is the key to unlock the power of bacteriophage therapy to combat superbugs. In essence, quantum computing will perform the untractable equations required to match a bacteriophage with its corresponding bacteria, allowing humanity to accurately tailor and deploy bacteriophages.

In this project, we investigated two rapidly evolving technological frontiers, quantum computing and bacteriophage therapy. Our extensive analysis suggests that when amalgamated, they will effectuate huge advances in the treatment of infections caused by superbugs.  

"Quantum Computers NEED Other Universes" | ft. David Deutsch and Michio Kaku Demonstrating Quantum Supremacy Quantum Computing Explained: 20 Ways It Will Affect EVERYONE Michio Kaku: Quantum computing is the next revolution Exposing Why Quantum Computers Are Already A Threat https://www.cysf.org/wp-content/uploads/tally_e.pdf https://www.cysf.org/wp-content/uploads/Top-Ten-Ways-to-Improve-your-Science-Project.pdf 20 Mind-Boggling Facts About Quantum Computing Everyone Should Read | Bernard Marr How To Make Your Own Double Slit Experiment (Young's) - Easy At-Home Science  Superbugs could kill 39 million people by 2050. Here's what Canadian survivors, doctors say should change | CBC News Michio Kaku: Quantum Supremacy The Deadliest Being on Planet Earth – The Bacteriophage 29 Facts About Superbugs - Facts.net https://www.euronews.com/health/2024/09/17/antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-could-kill-39-million-people-by-2050-researchers-warn?utm Scientific American: Into The Quantum Realm  Kurzgesagt Podcast: Science Revealed  Sean Carrol: The Biggest Ideas in The Universe. Space, Time and Motion Avery Keneen

Avery Keneen (a student that is taking a course on quantum computing at the University Of Calgary) Here is the interview we had with him: What is Quantum Computing? (Background Information) Quantum computing is a way of taking advantage of the quirks of quantum mechanics. While a regular computer stores each “bit” of information as a logical 1 or 0, a quantum bit of information, also called a “qubit,” can store any combination of a 1 or a 0. For example, we could have a qubit that is 50% one and 50% zero, or 75% one and 25% zero. We refer to a logical zero (or 100% zero) as |0⟩ and a logical one (or 100% one) as |1⟩. A combination of the two is written as a|0⟩ + b|1⟩. One thing to note though, it that when we try to read back the value of the qubit, it will only be either |0⟩ or |1⟩. The act of observing it “collapses” it down to one of the two logical values. For example, if we have a qubit that is 50% zero and 50% one, when measuring it, we would have a 50% chance of seeing it as a zero and a 50% chance of seeing it as a one. Not only that, but it will actually become what we observe, so that any future measurements align with our first measurement. To take advantage of these properties, we start with either a zero or one, perform some operations on the qubits without measuring them, then reading the results to get an output. Applications of Quantum Computing Quantum computers are weird, in the fact that they are really good at very specific problems. Most things you will try to compute will be just as efficient on a quantum computer as on a regular computer. But, if someone manages to come up with a clever algorithm (a set of instructions) they can speed up certain kinds of problems. What kind of problems? Mostly problems that can take advantage of being able to calculate all possible values at once. We can take advantage of how multiple qubits interact with each other (called quantum entanglement) to compute every possible value at once, then carefully measure qubits to determine the outcome (or most likely outcome). Encryption The biggest application of Quantum Computers right now is in the field of Cryptography. Whenever you send a message to someone else on your phone, use a bank machine, or browse the internet, your device encrypts the message. This is done in a way so that only the intended recipient can read your message, not anyone else. You can think of this like locking a letter in a box, mailing that box to the recipient, and then using the key to unlock the box. The way we currently do this is by using really large prime numbers. If you have two numbers, say 5 and 7 (both of which are prime), then it is really easy (for a computer) to find their product (multiplication). It’s just:

5 × 7 = 35

But going the other way is really hard (for a computer). The best algorithm for a regular computer is to just check all pairs of numbers less than 35 and checking if they multiply to 35. So, in our analogy, these prime numbers are the keys to the box, and the product is sent along with the box so that the other person can open it. However, for a quantum computer, it can take every possible number at the same time and calculate their product. We then need to cleverly measure certain qubits and perform specific operations on each and once we do, we can determine the two original prime numbers.

This algorithm, called Shor’s Algorithm, allows for a quantum computer to break this encryption that keeps your messages private, keeps your bank account secure, and your internet traffic private. The good news is that modern quantum computers can only “factor” (or find the two prime numbers) for really small numbers, like 21 or 35. Modern encryption uses numbers that are hundreds or even thousands of digits long. Harvest Now, Decrypt Later The idea of harvest now, decrypt later is based on the t quantum computers are not yet powerful enough to break our modern security, but may one day. If we store these encrypted messages (make copies of the locked box that we send to others), then once we have powerful enough machines, we can use them on the stored messages. To give an example, consider a basic encryption scheme called a Caesar Cipher. This scheme takes a letter, and moves k letters through the alphabet. We call k the key. So for example for a key k = 7,

A ⟼ H B ⟼ I Z ⟼ G

so we can take a message,

QUANTUM ↦ XBHUABT

Then, only if you know the key, you can convert this garbled mess back to a readable message by undo the steps we took above, so:

H ⟼ A I ⟼ B G ⟼ Z

so that

XBHUABT ↦ QUANTUM

But, if an attacker stores the “ciphertext” (the garbled mess “XBHUABT”), then once they can build a machine powerful enough to “decrypt” the message, they can read the message, later, in the future. So, if you were to send a secret message to a friend, and your worst enemy manages to get a copy of the “encrypted” message that you send, in the future, they may be able to read that message, simply by waiting for the technology to advance to the point where it becomes trivial to decrypt the secret. How will quantum computing change the next generation’s life? Quantum computers have the opportunity to solve complex mathematical and computer science problems leading to new breakthroughs and scientific discoveries. It will also allow us to test some of our ideas about the smallest things in the universe. Quantum computers will not replace regular computers in our households. They are incredibly complex machines that need to be cooled close to absolute zero. They don’t even have a way to run games on them! Diseases & Life Expectancy I am not aware of any research that is being done in the field of medicine related to quantum computing. I encourage you to research and try to find anything though!

Astrophysics (note: I am not an expert in this field, so my answers may not be perfectly correct). A lot of the current unsolved problems in astrophysics have to do with Black Holes, the expansion of the universe (cosmic inflation), and what dark matter is exactly. Solving these problems is primarily a problem of gaining a deeper understanding of the universe, coming up with new theories that help explain the quantum nature of gravity. Quantum computers are not necessarily designed to solve these problems. But who knows, maybe the use of these computers could help solve some computational problems related to a new theory? Sorry I coudn;t really give you a definite answer here. Quantum Neural Networks You asked how quantum computers could be used to simulate a human’s brain. This is something That is still pretty early in research, and not much has been done with it. Scientists have proposed ideas on how we could adapt our current neural network systems (similar to how ChatGPT and other AI systems work) to use quantum computers, but it is still in the early stages of planning, and the exact way we would do it, or any advantages we could get are not currently known.