Microsoft just discovered a new state of matter and then put it into a “God chip.” Let me explain.

Yesterday, Satya Nadella took to X to announce that Microsoft had made an insane new scientific breakthrough:

“After a nearly 20 year pursuit, we’ve created an entirely new state of matter, unlocked by a new class of materials, topoconductors, that enable a fundamental leap in computing.”

The announcement was dramatic enough to catch my attention, despite all the other crazy things happening in the tech world that day.

“A new state of matter?” I thought excitedly. “A fundamental leap in computing?? Topoconductors?!”

The truth, of course, is that I was more confused than excited. And I figured I wasn't alone.

So I spent a bunch of time reading about this breakthrough — including digging into research papers — so that I could write this really dumbed-down explainer.

Let’s go through Microsoft's achievement “bit by bit,” including why it's going to usher in a new era of computing . (There's a glossary at the bottom of this article for terms in bold.)

What’s the big news, in a nutshell?

Microsoft just made a quantum chip called Majorana 1.

They built this chip using a brand new type of material — a “topoconductor” — which could help quantum computers go from being a theoretically promising technology to a practical tool solving real-world problems at an industrial scale.

But let's slow down and talk about quantum computing for a second.

WTF is a quantum computer?

A quantum computer is a very special kind of computer that uses the strange rules of quantum physics to do calculations. Here’s how it’s different from a regular computer:

• Regular computers use bits: These bits are like tiny switches that can be either off (0) or on (1).

• Quantum computers use qubits: Qubits are like magic bits because they can be 0, 1, or even both at the same time! This is called “superposition,” and it lets quantum computers explore many possibilities all at once.

Because qubits can do multiple things at the same time, quantum computers can solve certain really complex problems much faster than regular computers. For example, they might help design new medicines, crack tough puzzles in science, or simulate how molecules work.

“So then,” you ask, “why aren't quantum computers solving all our problems yet?”

Quantum computers kinda suck. But why?

Like I said, qubits are like magic bits. And magic is f*cking cool! But it's also unpredictable.

Think of a quantum computer as a really cool toy robot that can do amazing things because it's powered by magic qubits. But the qubits also cause problems:

• They distract the robot. Qubits are super sensitive. Even a little bump or change in temperature can mess them up. It's basically like the robot has ADHD.

• They make the robot hard to control. Qubits need super precise instructions, almost like trying to keep hundreds of tiny spinning tops perfectly balanced. If one top wobbles, the whole system can go wrong. (Say it with me: “You’re home, Robot, go drunk.”)

Because today's quantum computers are so fragile and hard to control, they can only use a few qubits at a time.

Which… not only is this not enough qubits, but it's, like, not enough by a million:

“Whatever you’re doing in the quantum space needs to have a path to a million qubits. If it doesn’t, you’re going to hit a wall before you get to the scale at which you can solve the really important problems that motivate us.”

—Chetan Nayak, Microsoft technical fellow

If you've ever read a fantasy book before, you know that the only way to harness magic is with even more magic…

[Deep breath] What's a topoconductor?

You learned about solids, liquids, and gases in school, right? Well, forget all that: a topoconductor is a kind of material that creates an entirely new state of matter.

This new state of matter is called topological superconductivity. But that's not the important part. The important part is this:

It has special properties that make qubits more stable and less likely to be messed up by noise. Which means no more booze or Adderall for our robot friend.

In theory, anyway.

Here in the real world, topoconductors have existed only in textbooks for nearly a century.

But Microsoft just changed that.

How did Microsoft create topocondunctors?

Microsoft didn’t stumble onto topoconductors by accident — they'd been on a mission to create it for almost two decades.

And they just accomplished their mission.

How?

By sorcery, basically. In their own words:

“The goal was to coax new quantum particles called Majoranas into existence and take advantage of their unique properties to reach the next horizon of quantum computing.”

This “coaxing” (😂) required a few steps:

Building with atoms

Microsoft scientists designed a special substance using two materials: indium arsenide (a semiconductor) and aluminum (a superconductor).

They layered these materials with extreme precision, almost like carefully stacking tiny LEGO blocks one atom at a time. (They needed to line up the atoms perfectly because even tiny mistakes can mess up a qubit.)

Extreme conditions

They then cooled the substance down to super-cold temperatures (near absolute zero!) and applied magnetic fields.

This made the substance behave in a very unusual way, creating… ding ding!… topological superconductivity!

Majorana particles

In this state, the substance — our elusive topoconductor — can produce exotic particles called Majorana particles, which help store and protect quantum information in a way that ordinary materials can’t.

And all of this in a quantum chip small enough to fit in your hand.

What does the future of quantum computing look like?

Imagine having a tiny computer that can:

• Figure out how to break down harmful microplastics.

• Design materials that repair themselves (like a bridge that fixes its own cracks).

• Help discover better catalysts (chemicals that speed up reactions) to clean up pollution.

• Make designing new medicines or materials much faster and easier.

Well, Microsoft just opened up a portal to that future. They basically just invented the transistor for the quantum age — and just as transistors changed computers forever, these topoconductors could do the same for quantum computers.

Oh, and let's not forget: this quantum computing breakthrough is taking place in the middle of the AI revolution.

So I'll leave you with some food for thought from Matthias Troyer, one of the researchers at Microsoft:

“Any company that makes anything could just design it perfectly the first time out. It would just give you the answer. The quantum computer teaches the AI the language of nature so the AI can just tell you the recipe for what you want to make.”

People are calling it the "God chip" for a reason.

Glossary

absolute zero

The coldest temperature possible, where atoms barely move. Scientists cool materials near absolute zero to unlock special quantum properties.

aluminum

A lightweight metal used in the material stack for creating topoconductors. It pairs with semiconductors to help form superconductors.

bits

The basic units of information in regular computers that can be either 0 or 1, like tiny on/off switches.

catalysts

Chemicals that speed up reactions without being consumed. In future applications, they could help design processes like breaking down pollutants.

indium arsenide

A semiconductor material that, when combined with aluminum, is used to build topoconductors for quantum chips.

Majorana 1

The name of Microsoft’s new quantum chip that uses a topoconductor to create more stable and scalable qubits.

Majorana particles

Exotic quantum particles produced in topoconductors. They help store and protect quantum information, making qubits more reliable.

quantum chip

A device that holds many qubits and the necessary control electronics. It’s the “hardware” that makes quantum computing possible.

quantum computers

Special computers that use the rules of quantum mechanics (via qubits) to perform calculations, potentially solving complex problems much faster than regular computers.

qubit

The fundamental units of quantum information. Unlike regular bits, qubits can be 0, 1, or both at the same time, allowing quantum computers to explore many possibilities at once.

semiconductor

A material that can conduct electricity under certain conditions. In this context, indium arsenide is used as a semiconductor to help create topoconductors.

superconductor

A material that, when cooled to very low temperatures, can conduct electricity without any resistance. Aluminum is used as a superconductor in the creation of topoconductors.

topoconductor

A breakthrough material that creates a new state of matter (topological superconductivity) to make qubits more stable and less sensitive to noise.

topological superconductivity

The unique state of matter achieved in a topoconductor, combining superconductivity with special topological properties that protect quantum information.

transistor

A tiny device that acts like an electronic switch or amplifier. It revolutionized computing by controlling electrical signals in circuits. Aand just as transistors transformed classical computers, new materials like topoconductors could transform quantum computing.