Why should we celebrate the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology?

This 2025 marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ), proclaimed by the United Nations through UNESCO to commemorate the centenary of the first theoretical developments in quantum mechanics. This initiative seeks to raise public awareness of the importance of quantum science and its applications, highlighting its potential to address global challenges in medicine, technology and security.

Some of the sectors that the high potential of quantum technologies can revolutionise include:

– Computing: using qubits which, unlike classical bits, can simultaneously represent 0 and 1 thanks to the superposition principle, allowing information to be processed exponentially faster, solving complex problems in fields such as cryptography, optimisation and simulation of molecular systems for the development of new drugs.

– Secure Communications: offering ultra-secure communication channels through the use of quantum entanglement, ensuring that any interception attempt is detectable, which is crucial for the protection of sensitive information.

– Sensors: enabling measurements of unprecedented accuracy, with applications in navigation, geological exploration and medical diagnostics, improving early detection of disease and monitoring of biological processes.

Why celebrate?

Celebrating the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) in 2025 is essential to recognise and promote significant advances in the field, which promise to revolutionise multiple sectors and address global challenges, including the need for sustainable development. This commemoration coincides with the centenary of the first theoretical developments in quantum mechanics, a discipline that has laid the foundations for ground-breaking innovations.

Some of the milestones to highlight by field are:

• Quantum computing: where we can highlight notable milestones, such as the creation in 2019 of IBM’s Q System One, the first commercial quantum computer, which marked a significant advance in the practical application of this technology. In addition, companies such as Google have claimed to achieve ‘quantum supremacy’, performing calculations that would be unfeasible for traditional supercomputers.
• Quantum Communication: Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) has brought about a significant improvement in performance, allowing the creation of secure keys between parties sharing a quantum channel, which reinforces the security of communications. Concrete examples include the first secure banking transmission with QKD between the Bank of Austria and Siemens headquarters in Vienna in 2004 or in 2008, when the first networked quantum communication system in Europe, SECOQC (Secure Communication based on Quantum Cryptography), was completed.
• Quantum sensing: Quantum sensing has been a true revolution in sensing technology, combining principles of quantum mechanics with advanced techniques to create extraordinarily accurate and sensitive sensing systems. Examples include the quantum sensor based on nitrogen-vacancy-defect diamonds, capable of detecting magnetic fields with unprecedented accuracy, developed by MIT scientists in 2016.

Furthermore, this initiative aims to inspire the next generation of quantum pioneers and deepen the understanding of their impact on our world, promoting innovative solutions to current and future challenges.

Some key areas where these technologies can have a significant impact include:

• Simulation of complex systems: quantum computing enables the accurate simulation of molecular systems and materials, facilitating the design of new materials and more efficient medicines. This is essential for developing sustainable solutions in sectors such as energy and health.
• Resource optimisation: quantum algorithms will allow optimisation problems to be solved more efficiently than classical methods. This is crucial for improving the management of natural resources, optimising transport routes or reducing industrial energy consumption, among others.
• Environmental detection and monitoring: the unprecedented sensitivity offered by quantum sensors allows precise monitoring of environmental variables such as air and water quality, contributing to environmental protection and public health.
• Communication security: the highly secure data transmission channels provided by quantum communication are essential to protect critical information.
• Energy and efficiency: Quantum technologies can lead to the development of more efficient energy systems, including improvements in energy capture and storage, as well as the creation of new sources of clean energy.
• Other problems: these technologies may also provide answers to previously unknown problems. One example would be how to know the structure of dark matter: Quantum physics could help to discover the exact nature of dark matter, which makes up most of the universe but remains a mystery.

What challenges do quantum technologies present?

While quantum technologies offer promising solutions, they also face challenges that must be addressed for their effective implementation:

• Technology development: the development of stable, error-free and scalable quantum hardware still faces significant hurdles. In addition, we must take into account the complexity of adopting quantum technologies at different levels of maturity, in varied industries and with very low standardisation and coordination across players.
• Energy consumption: the extreme conditions, such as very low temperatures required by many quantum technologies, imply considerable energy consumption.
• Training of talent: having professionals trained in this emerging field to drive its development and application is essential.
• Applicability in real application environments: there is great uncertainty associated with the lack of highly specialised hardware and infrastructure.
• Need for public-private collaboration: in addition, time and long-term vision are needed for the implementation of quantum technologies and their subsequent assessment, which in many cases may lead to disillusionment when it becomes clear that their real applicability is not as expected.

State of the race for quantum leadership

The race for mastery of quantum technologies has intensified in recent years, with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China and members of the European Union investing significantly in research and development. This leadership implies not only technological but also geopolitical advantages, as the mastery of quantum technology has the potential to redefine global power dynamics. In terms of public investment, China’s efforts are noteworthy.

IYQ 2025 is therefore an opportunity to recognise and promote the transformative impact of quantum technologies on our society, as well as to reflect on the importance of international collaboration in this emerging field.

Use of Quantum Technologies at ARQUIMEA

ARQUIMEA Research Center, the research center of the ARQUIMEA group located in the Canary Islands, has an orbital dedicated to research in the field of Quantum. ARQUIMEA Research Center develops from high bandwidth communication systems for inter-satellite communication links to co-processing architectures using photonic technology to accelerate Artificial Intelligence routines. Another example of development at ARQUIMEA would be quantum inertial, enabling ultra-precise guidance systems without the need for GPS, ideal for space missions or defence.

In addition, all ARQUIMEA Research Center projects belong to the QCIRCLE project, co-funded by the European Union, which aims to create a center of scientific excellence in Spain.

“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”