The Quantum Kid

Tesseract Quantum
  • 3.0 (2)
  • Physics
  • Monthly

Big questions about quantum, answered by the people building it. Kai and his mom, physicist and former WIRED editor Katia Moskvitch, talk to Nobel laureates, top scientists and tech leaders, and go inside labs from CERN to ETH Zurich, to find out how quantum computing, fusion, space science and AI are shaping tomorrow's world. If Kai gets it, so will you. Guests include John Martinis, Steven Chu, Peter Shor, John Preskill and Scott Aaronson. Made by Tesseract Quantum.

  1. 3d ago

    Microsoft exclusive: what makes this qubit UNIQUE?

    How do you build a qubit that protects itself from errors? Kai went inside Microsoft’s quantum lab near Copenhagen to find out.Microsoft is trying to build topological qubits using Majorana zero modes, exotic quantum states that should appear at the ends of special superconducting nanowires. They’re named after Ettore Majorana, the physicist who in 1937 predicted a particle that is its own antiparticle, and who mysteriously vanished a year later. The idea is that a topological qubit stores quantum information spread out across the wire, so a small disturbance can’t easily destroy it.Dr. Lauri Sainiemi, Vice President of Fabrication at Microsoft Quantum, takes Kai through three labs: - Materials lab: Lauri shows Kai the molecular beam epitaxy machines, which grow the chip’s base material atom by atom in an ultra-high vacuum. They spray indium arsenide and a superconductor onto wafers to build the semiconductor–superconductor stack Microsoft calls a topoconductor. - Clean room: next, they see how that material is patterned into the actual qubit devices, the tiny nanowires and circuits on the chip. Since the 2025 expansion, the Lyngby lab can make the full core of the Majorana chips. - Cryostat lab: finally, Kai sees the gold “chandelier” fridges, which cool the finished chips to almost absolute zero, colder than outer space, so the team can test and measure them.Most quantum computers fight a constant battle against noise, correcting errors after they happen. Microsoft wants qubits that resist errors in the first place. It’s one of the boldest and most debated approaches in quantum computing, and this is a rare look at how it’s actually built.The Quantum Kid: quantum physics, explained like you’re 10.Produced in collaboration with Microsoft, filmed and edited by Karl Munck-Westh, Bifrost Productions. The Quantum Kid podcast and this episode remain editorially independent. ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube for more visits to the world’s quantum labs: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid🎧 Watch on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quantum-kid/id1824461468🎧 Watch on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2miE8BUDAXYvw6uf7Ycu8k🌐 tesseractquantum.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-quantum-kid/?viewAsMember=true#QuantumComputing #Microsoft #Majorana

    Microsoft exclusive: what makes this qubit UNIQUE?

  2. 3d ago

    Is our universe a hologram? Juan Maldacena explains

    WHAT IF OUR UNIVERSE IS A HOLOGRAM? And could a quantum computer one day simulate one?In this episode of The Quantum Kid, Kai and Katia explore one of the most fascinating ideas in theoretical physics: the holographic principle, the connection between quantum gravity and information, and what it could tell us about the nature of spacetime.We meet Professor Juan Maldacena, whose groundbreaking work on the AdS/CFT correspondence transformed our understanding of the relationship between gravity and quantum theory.Juan explains:- What the holographic principle actually means.- How a theory describing gravity in one space can be mathematically equivalent to a quantum theory on its boundary.- What black holes have to do with information and holography.- How quantum computers could help us simulate a holographic universe — and why Juan estimates that this would require around 7,000 stable, near-perfect qubits.But what would it take to build a quantum computer capable of such a simulation?We visit Microsoft to explore one of the most ambitious approaches to quantum computing: topological qubits. We speak with Dr Lauri Sainiemi about Majorana fermions, Microsoft's approach and the challenge of building more stable qubits.COMING NEXT: INSIDE MICROSOFT'S QUANTUM LABIn our next video, Kai takes you inside Microsoft's quantum lab to explore the research and technology behind its topological qubits. Don't miss it!CHAPTERS 0:00 Is our universe a hologram? 00:45 What the holographic principle means 01:22 Inside Microsoft's quantum lab 03:01 Quantum mechanics & general relativity: why don't they get along? 05:05 String theory: a candidate for quantum gravity 07:11 Black holes and information 10:56 Simulating a black hole in a holographic universe with 7,000 qubitsThe Quantum Kid makes quantum science and technology accessible through conversations with the scientists, researchers and innovators shaping the field.Subscribe for more conversations exploring quantum computing, physics and the future of technology.#QuantumComputing #HolographicPrinciple #QuantumGravity #JuanMaldacena #Microsoft #TopologicalQubits #MajoranaFermions #TheQuantumKid

    Is our universe a hologram? Juan Maldacena explains

  3. Oct 4

    This Roblox game uses quantum computing?! (Gamescom reveal) Kai plays quantum chess too

    This game was shown live at Gamescom, where it got serious attention, so we had to find out what it's actually doing with quantum computing. Can a video game really run on quantum mechanics? Kai finds out, then sits down for a real game of quantum chess, where winning means putting his own king into superposition. Chapters: 0:00 What is a quantum game? 0:17 Can a quantum computer make a game? 0:34 Quantum chess: a pawn in superposition 0:52 Meet James Wootton (CSO, MOTH Quantum) and Natasha Skult (CEO, MiTale) 1:52 Kai plays MOTH in real time 2:50 Quantum computers for level generation 3:11 Quantum music 3:56 Should players care about quantum technology? 4:53 MOTH at Gamescom 5:15 Quantum chess with Tamás Varga 6:49 Can I build my own quantum game? 7:23 Quantum backrooms 11:13 Quantum computer as a booster 11:58 The future of quantum gaming 12:09 Clay: The Last Redemption 13:23 Quantum computing and procedural generation 13:58 I lost my MOTH 14:03 Thank you, James and Natasha! In this episode, Kai explores a Roblox-style quantum game (rescuing a moth using quantum mechanics!), then learns to play quantum chess with Tamás Varga, discovering what superposition and entanglement actually mean by using them to win. Along the way, we dive into: How a video game can be built around real quantum mechanicsWhat superposition actually means, explained through a chessboard, not a textbookWhat entanglement means and how it shows up in the gameWhy quantum ideas are showing up in gaming and entertainment, not just labsKai's honest reaction to putting a chess piece in two places at once!💬 Leave a comment here on Spotify. Kai reads them all! 🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes ▶️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid 🌐 tesseractquantum.com

    This Roblox game uses quantum computing?! (Gamescom reveal) Kai plays quantum chess too

  4. Oct 4

    Can quantum computers really break the encryption protecting your data?

    Can quantum computers really break the encryption protecting your data? Kai sits down with Rebecca Krauthamer, CEO of QuSecure, to find out, recorded live in Geneva at the AI for Good Summit. Plus, great questions from the UN diplomatic corps in the audience! Chapters: 0:00 Rebecca Krauthamer, CEO of QuSecure 0:45 What is encryption? 1:30 Do quantum computers threaten Roblox, banking and email? 2:00 How quantum computers work, really, and what Peter Shor discovered in the 1990s 3:06 Preparing hospitals and banks for the future 3:54 Why quantum computers could break today's encryption 5:25 Steps you can take right now to protect yourself 6:45 Why we need quantum safety 8:18 Kai's take on quantum computing The Quantum Kid is a show where 10-year-old Kai asks the world's top scientists and tech leaders to explain quantum computing to him, and if he gets it, so will everyone else. 💬 Leave a comment here on Spotify. Kai reads them all! 🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes ▶️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid 🌐 tesseractquantum.com

    Can quantum computers really break the encryption protecting your data?

  5. Oct 4

    Particle Fever director: can art explain quantum physics better than equations?

    Can quantum be explained through art instead of equations? Award-winning filmmaker Mark Levinson (Particle Fever, The Universe in a Grain of Sand) joins Roger Highfield from the Science Museum Group to answer Kai's biggest questions! Chapters: 0:00 Meet Mark Levinson and Roger Highfield 1:09 Why quantum physics is so hard to explain 2:28 Can film make invisible physics visible? 3:42 Inside "The Universe in a Grain of Sand" 5:23 How museums make quantum ideas click 7:41 Kai's own take on superposition and entanglement 10:20 Why quantum ideas give even scientists a headache 12:22 Why CERN and museums are teaming up 14:05 What quantum education looks like next For the past year, The Quantum Kid has explored quantum technologies through the eyes of Kai, a curious young co-host who started this journey at age nine. In this special anniversary episode, Kai has officially turned 10! To celebrate, we are joined by two exceptional science storytellers: Mark Levinson, physicist and director of the acclaimed films Particle Fever and The Universe in a Grain of SandRoger Highfield, Director of Science at the Science Museum Group, UKTogether, they explore one of the biggest challenges in science: how do you explain quantum ideas to the next generation? The conversation ranges from CERN and Particle Fever to Mark's latest film, The Universe in a Grain of Sand, which uses art, experimental cinema and stunning visuals to make some of the strangest ideas in physics more accessible. Along the way, Kai shares his own interpretations of superposition and entanglement, leading to a fascinating discussion about whether children may sometimes be better prepared for quantum thinking than adults. This episode celebrates one year of The Quantum Kid and Kai's journey from age nine to ten, proving that some of the biggest questions in science can start with a child's curiosity. The Quantum Kid is a show where 10-year-old Kai asks the world's top scientists and tech leaders to explain quantum computing to him, and if he gets it, so will everyone else. 💬 Leave a comment here on Spotify. Kai reads them all! 🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes ▶️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid 🌐 tesseractquantum.com

    Particle Fever director: can art explain quantum physics better than equations?

  6. Oct 4

    How do you build a quantum computing startup?

    In this episode of The Quantum Kid, Kai visits a real quantum computing startup, ZuriQ, at ETH Zurich to find out what it takes to build a company in one of the world's most advanced technologies. How do quantum startups begin? Who provides the funding? What makes a good founder? And what happens if your company fails? Kai speaks with: David DiVincenzo, pioneer of quantum computing and creator of the DiVincenzo criteriaAlexandra Beckstein, CEO of QAI Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in quantum technologiesExplore a quantum lab with Kai to learn how atoms can become qubits, and why building a startup requires much more than just a great idea! Chapters:0:00 Introduction to startups0:28 Inside a quantum laboratory3:01 Challenges of a quantum CEO4:37 Expert advice on startups7:05 Technical and design criteria9:01 Market applications11:56 Founding and funding advice16:14 The reality of failure The Quantum Kid is a show where 10-year-old Kai asks the world's top scientists and tech leaders to explain quantum computing to him, and if he gets it, so will everyone else. 💬 Leave a comment here on Spotify. Kai reads them all! 🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes▶️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid🌐 tesseractquantum.com

    How do you build a quantum computing startup?

  7. Oct 4

    Why do kids learn quantum faster than adults? John Martinis explains

    Why do kids understand quantum concepts faster than adults? Nobel Prize winner John Martinis (2025 Nobel Prize in Physics) and Elisa Torres Durney (founder of Girls in Quantum) join Kai to find out, and to challenge how physics gets taught in the first place. In this episode, we explore why children have a natural advantage with non-intuitive ideas like superposition and entanglement, before anyone's told them physics is supposed to be hard. John shares real advice for parents on how to nurture scientific curiosity through building, playing and asking better questions, not more advanced ones. Chapters: 0:00 Meet John Martinis and Elisa Torres Durney 2:15 John Martinis on curiosity and building things as a kid 6:31 Elisa Torres Durney's path into quantum research 9:10 Why the "adult" way of teaching physics is failing 14:45 What is quantum chess? (and how it's different from the real thing) 18:30 Preview: Kai's quantum chess battle with Tamás Varga 23:33 Advice for raising the next generation of scientists In an upcoming episode: Kai takes on Tamás Varga, the creator of a quantum chess game called Niel's Chess, to see how quantum rules actually govern the board. 💬 Leave a comment here on Spotify. Kai reads them all! 🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes ▶️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid 🌐 tesseractquantum.com

    Why do kids learn quantum faster than adults? John Martinis explains

  8. Oct 4

    Can quantum computing help unlock fusion energy on Earth?

    Why can't we simulate the Sun, and could quantum computers help us build a star on Earth? Watch Kai visit a tokamak to find out. First, though, he heads to the Atacama Desert in Chile, where, among cacti and llamas, two remarkable observatories explore the wonders of the universe. Starting at Paranal and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), Kai ponders how stars shine through nuclear fusion. That question takes him all the way to Japan, to the largest operational fusion reactor in the world, the JT-60SA tokamak, to see how scientists are trying to achieve fusion energy right here on Earth. Back in the studio, MIT physicist Peter Fisher explains why fusion is so difficult, especially when it comes to simulating plasma, where vast numbers of particles interact at extreme speeds. Today's classical computers struggle with this complexity, and that's exactly where quantum computing comes in. Quantum systems could simulate plasma in fundamentally new ways, helping scientists better understand and control fusion reactions. Researchers are already exploring this connection, combining quantum simulations with traditional methods. Chapters:0:00 Why can't we simulate the Sun?0:49 Seeing the invisible: inside Chile's observatories2:32 Inside a real fusion reactor in Japan8:53 How quantum computing could crack fusion17:24 What comes next for fusion energy 💬 Leave a comment here on Spotify. Kai reads them all! 🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes▶️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid🌐 tesseractquantum.com

    Can quantum computing help unlock fusion energy on Earth?
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About

Big questions about quantum, answered by the people building it. Kai and his mom, physicist and former WIRED editor Katia Moskvitch, talk to Nobel laureates, top scientists and tech leaders, and go inside labs from CERN to ETH Zurich, to find out how quantum computing, fusion, space science and AI are shaping tomorrow's world. If Kai gets it, so will you. Guests include John Martinis, Steven Chu, Peter Shor, John Preskill and Scott Aaronson. Made by Tesseract Quantum.

Information

  • Creator
    Tesseract Quantum
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tesseract Quantum
  • Show Website
    The Quantum Kid