Computer

New York Times report claimed London-born Adam Back was creator of the cryptocurrency after comparing writingsA British computer scientist has insisted that he is not the elusive developer of bitcoin after a report claimed to unmask him as its creator.The story, in the New York Times, details a years-long effort to unmask Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious author of the bitcoin whitepaper which laid the theoretical foundations for modern digital currencies. Continue reading...

• Caltech scientists led by Manuel Endres unveiled a theoretical design for neutral-atom quantum computers that slashes required hardware by roughly 100 times, potentially making scalable machines feasible within years. • The breakthrough uses laser-trapped atoms movable across arrays, enabling long-distance connections unlike fixed-qubit systems; Endres noted, 'It’s actually very surprising how well this works,' calling it 'ultra-efficient error correction.' • Last year, the team assembled a record 6,100 atomic qubits, published in Nature, advancing beyond nearest-neighbor limitations in other platforms.

Banks, governments and tech providers urged to upgrade security because current systems will soon be obsolete Banks, governments and technology providers need to be prepared for quantum computer hackers capable of breaking most existing encryption systems by 2029, Google has warned.The tech company said in a blogpost that quantum computers would pose a “significant threat to current cryptographic standards” before the end of the decade and urged other companies to follow its lead. Continue reading...

Refusing to comply could lead to year in jail and hefty fine, while providing false information carries up to three years in prisonHong Kong police can now demand that people suspected of breaching the city’s national security law provide mobile phone or computer passwords in a further crackdown on dissent.The amendments to the law also empower customs officers to seize items that are deemed to have “seditious intention”, regardless of whether any person has been arrested for an offence endangering national security because of the items. Continue reading...

• Super Micro Computer shares plunged 28.2% on Friday after US authorities accused a senior executive and two affiliates of conspiring to smuggle advanced Nvidia-based servers to China. • The alleged scheme targeted the export of high-performance computing equipment to China, triggering immediate sharp market reaction and significant shareholder losses. • The charges represent a significant escalation in enforcement actions against technology companies and executives involved in alleged unauthorized export of advanced semiconductor technology.

Company says tool to compare self-reported hours with computer estimates is for ‘awareness, not enforcement’Business live – latest updatesJP Morgan Chase has started to compare the hours junior investment bankers claim to have worked against logs on its IT system.The US bank said it would begin issuing reports to junior bankers that compare computer-generated estimates of their work weeks against their self-reported time sheets as part of a pilot scheme. Continue reading...

• NERSC, at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, launched an open call for projects using the Perlmutter supercomputer to advance AI in scientific domains like climate, physics, and biology through January 19, 2027. • Proposals require deep learning expertise, scientific domain knowledge, and proof-of-concept; evaluated on innovation, DOE relevance, feasibility, and scale readiness, with submissions rolling until April 30, 2026, for priority. • NERSC supports 11,000 scientists annually, producing 2,000 peer-reviewed papers and aiding seven Nobel winners.

Commonwealth ombudsman also finds Victoria and Queensland police not keeping adequate recordsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales police force is overusing intrusive technology to monitor the phones and computers of people suspected of committing less serious crime, the commonwealth ombudsman has found.The watchdog said Victoria and Queensland police were not keeping sufficient records to justify their use of the electronic surveillance powers, while NSW police “were unable to demonstrate” they were meeting the requirements of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979. Continue reading...

A method for making quantum computers less error-prone could let them run complex programs such as simulations of materials more efficiently, thus making them more useful

Superconducting computing circuits were briefly heralded as the future of computing in the 1980s. Columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan visits a quantum chip foundry where one company is betting this technology’s second act will revolutionise quantum computers

Two popular quantum computing algorithms for problems in chemistry may have very limited use even as quantum hardware improves