02 | Dead and Alive: Quantum attack

It's 1994, and a mathematical algorithm puts a spotlight on quantum computing for the first time. Defence departments, spy agencies and cybersecurity experts are on edge over the explosive Shor's algorithm. They spend decades and billions of dollars searching for a solution before something called "Q-day" arrives. Got feedback? Email us sciencefriction@abc.net.au Guests: Dr Henry Everitt Senior technologist for optical sciences, US Army Emeritus Professor Charles Clark Physicist, formerly National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Dr Sushmita Ruj Associate professor, University of New South Wales' Institute for Cybersecurity Special thanks to Nick Adams for reading Peter Shor's limerick. Presenter: Jacinta Bowler Producer: Fiona Pepper Senior Producer: Shelby Traynor Executive Producer: Petria Ladgrove Sound Engineer: Tim Jenkins Archives Research: Lisa Chidlow, Michael Osmond Additional audio courtesy of CSIRO Publishing