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In August the firm followed up with a paper in Science,
今年8月，該公司又取得了新的進展：他們在Science上發(fā)表了一篇文章，
describing the simulation of a chemical reaction involving hydrogen and nitrogen atoms.
展示了一種借鑒氫原子和氮原子的一種化學反應的量子計算方式。
That reaction was simple enough to be within the reach of classical machines.
這種反應非常簡單，經(jīng)典計算機都可以做到。
Optimists like Dr Finke think that, with a bit of luck and progress,
樂觀主義者如芬克博士認為，如果有些許運氣和進步的加持，
the first commercially relevant applications of quantum computers will appear within the next two or three years.
未來兩三年內便能看到量子計算機第一批商業(yè)相關的應用。
In particular, he reckons it is worth keeping an eye on the finance industry,
尤其是，他認為，就這一應用而言，金融業(yè)格外值得關注，
where quantum computers could boost trading algorithms and portfolio management.
因為量子計算機有助于優(yōu)化交易算法和投資組合管理。
"To develop a new battery or a new drug you have to test the product," he points out.
“開發(fā)一種新的電池或一種新的藥品時都需要對其進行測試，”他指出。
This can take years.
這一工作可能需要耗費數(shù)年時間。
A slick new financial algorithm could be deployed in days.
而巧妙的新金融算法只需幾天就能部署完畢。
And given the scale of the markets, even a tiny advantage could be worth a great deal of cash.
考慮到金融市場的宏大規(guī)模，即便是微小的優(yōu)勢也可能代表著一大筆收益。
Amit Kumar, a partner at BCG, agrees—though he points out that, keen to preserve its advantage,
波士頓咨詢公司合伙人阿米特·庫馬爾對此也表示贊同——盡管他指出，因為渴望保持自己的優(yōu)勢，
a firm which had found a way to benefit from quantum acceleration might try to keep the fact under its hat.
企業(yè)即便已經(jīng)摸索出了如何從量子加速中獲益的辦法，也有可能會對外保密。
This influx of money has, though, led some researchers to worry that hype may be overtaking reality,
不過，資金的涌入也引發(fā)了部分研究人員的擔心，他們擔心炒作大過現(xiàn)實，
and storing up disappointment for the future.
導致將來失望。
Some of the cash, says Dr Biercuk, comes from vc firms taking calculated risks by investing in what has come to be called "deep tech"—
比爾庫克博士表示，行業(yè)收到的部分資金來自風投公司，這些公司進行的冒險其實較為合理，因為他們投資的是所謂的“深度科技”——
cuttingedge, highly technical projects like quantum computing, which advance the state of the art—
也即量子計算這樣的，能夠推動當前科技水平的高技術前沿項目——
as opposed to consumer-focused apps or gizmos with a shorter and more certain path to market.
而非以消費者為中心的應用程序或具有更短、更確定的上市路徑的小打小鬧的事物。
But he cautions that there is no shortage of hype-struck "dumb money" sloshing around, too.
但他也警告稱，這些投資里也不乏投資方頭腦一熱便掏出來的“蠢錢”。
Whether those bets pay off will have implications beyond the venture-capital industry's next bonus round.
這些賭注是否能得到回報，屆時受影響的將不止風險投資行業(yè)的下一輪機會。
One reason classical computers developed so quickly
傳統(tǒng)計算機之所以能發(fā)展如此迅猛，原因之一在于
was that even early, feeble machines were useful for everything from wartime codebreaking to automating the payrolls of big firms.
即便是早期那些不太穩(wěn)定的機器也能應用到戰(zhàn)時密碼破譯，大公司工資單自動化等各個領域。
Those applications generated enough cash to design the next generation of less-feeble machines, which brought in yet more money.
這些應用換來了足夠的收益，足以支撐研究人員設計新一代穩(wěn)定性更好的機器，迭代之后的機器又能進一步帶來更多的收益。
The resulting virtuous spiral is still turning, decades later.
數(shù)十年過去了，由此產(chǎn)生的良性螺旋優(yōu)化模式今天依然有效。
Those now moving into quantum computing hope to encourage a similarly virtuous feedback loop.
現(xiàn)在進入量子計算領域的有關方希望他們也能帶動一個類似的良性反饋循環(huán)。
If they succeed, the promise of quantum computing could be realised faster than the decade or more likely to pass before big, stable machines are ready.
大型、穩(wěn)定的量子計算機準備就緒可能還需要十年乃至更長的時間，如果他們成功了，量子計算的希望或許就能提前實現(xiàn)。
If they fail, the field's reputation may take a knock.
如果失敗，該領域的聲譽或將面臨打擊。
That knock is unlikely to be fatal.
盡管打擊不太可能致命。
But it will delay the arrival of a usable machine.
但必然會耽誤真正可用的量子計算機的到來。
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