Scientists create ‘artificial life’ on a quantum computer

[dysert]

The work was achieved by researchers from the University of the Basque Country in Spain. With the aid of an IBM QX4 quantum computer, they created tiny simulated life forms capable of carrying out many of the behaviors seen in real-world life forms — including reproduction, mutation, evolution, and death. They hope that doing so will help researchers to better understand the origins of life and whether it can be explained through quantum mechanics. This is something that has been hypothesized for decades, dating back to Erwin Schrödinger’s influential 1944 book What is Life?

It’s Alive! Scientists Create ‘Artificial Life’ on a Quantum Computer | Digital Trends

 

[eleos1954]

The work was achieved by researchers from the University of the Basque Country in Spain. With the aid of an IBM QX4 quantum computer, they created tiny simulated life forms capable of carrying out many of the behaviors seen in real-world life forms — including reproduction, mutation, evolution, and death. They hope that doing so will help researchers to better understand the origins of life and whether it can be explained through quantum mechanics. This is something that has been hypothesized for decades, dating back to Erwin Schrödinger’s influential 1944 book What is Life?

It’s Alive! Scientists Create ‘Artificial Life’ on a Quantum Computer | Digital Trends

In this article, we report the first experimental implementation of a model for quantum artificial life

It’s Alive! Scientists Create ‘Artificial Life’ on a Quantum Computer | Digital Trends

 

[dysert]

What I find provocative is they claim the newly created "life form" exhibits the behaviors of reproduction, mutation, evolution, and death. What else is there (in the physical world) except, perhaps, being self-aware?

 

[Tanj]

The original paper is open access.

Quantum Artificial Life in an IBM Quantum Computer

It's...well...I don't know what to say. Most of it is unintelligible (to me) quantum computing science, the rest weirdly hyperbolic touchy feely.

"From a wide perspective in the history of arts and science, close imitation is a natural first layer and wish in the aesthetic process. In this sense, plain simulation is a valid and fruitful engineering playground, where analogies abound and serve as communicating vessels between unconnected fields"

 

[mmksparbud]

It took a Quantum Computer---did they try it without any intelligent life form running complex equipment? Until they do, all they have shown is ---- intelligent creation----of some sort.

 

[rambot]

Wasn't that close to being done with the creation of computer viruses?

 

[usexpat97]

I'm not completely connecting all the dots here.

Schroedinger was a quantum physicist. He hypothesized about killing a cat--a life form--with quantum theory. IBM has a quantum computer--which I guess they are not quite selling yet, but they are researching together with academic institutions--to simulate a life form, citing hypotheses in Schroedinger's work.

I'm seeing relationships here, but I'm not entirely following what exactly they all are.

 

[Tanj]

I'm not completely connecting all the dots here.

Schroedinger was a quantum physicist. He hypothesized about killing a cat--a life form--with quantum theory. IBM has a quantum computer--which I guess they are not quite selling yet, but they are researching together with academic institutions--to simulate a life form, citing hypotheses in Schroedinger's work.

I'm seeing relationships here, but I'm not entirely following what exactly they all are.

Shroedinger's thought experiment about superimposition (which you refer to as "killing a cat") Has nothing to do with the article. Perhaps if you remove the irrelevant dots they will connect better. Not guaranteed though. Like I said, I got about 10% of the paper.

 

[usexpat97]

Even so, I'm failing to understand the point of this experiment, save for the fact that they are developing an application of substance using a quantum computing chip. The goal has always been to try and create/simulate life without the injection of intelligence into the process. You're trying to create life through a spontaneous process. Maybe that spontaneous process involves quantum phenomena, but this experiment isn't even trying to remove intelligence from the equation. In their experiment, even death is part of their intelligent design. In order for it to die, the process has to work. But in biology, death is when the intelligent design stops working.

All they have done is move the intelligent computation to the quantum level. What does it prove? Best-case?

 

[Tanj]

The goal has always been to try and create/simulate life without the injection of intelligence into the process.

What now? Who's goal is this, exactly?

You're trying to create life through a spontaneous process.

Well, with 30 years of biomedical research experience, I've not met any of this bunch of "You're"s. Perhaps you could name one of the people trying to do this?

All they have done is move the intelligent computation to the quantum level. What does it prove? Best-case?

It moves some of the quantum computing stuff along, I guess. This paper is about advancements in computing, not an unholy attack on your pious beliefs.

 

[jayem]

Back in the 90s, a computer program was developed to simulate the evolution of the eye. The starting point was a simple tissue made up of a group of light-sensitive cells surrounded by pigmented cells. The program would begin reproducing this tissue for many generations, while introducing random mutations at a fixed rate. With the instruction that any mutation that increases the spatial resolution of the light-sensitive cells would be saved. The goal was to determine what would be the cumulative result, over many generations, of mutations that would improve the acuity of light sensing. What was found was that the tissue became a globe, with the light-sensitive cells inside, an aperture through which light could enter, and even a lens-like structure to focus the light on the receptor cells. Remarkably like a real eye. Which evolved spontaneously (in this computer simulation) when improved resolution was the selection factor. IIRC, the paper's authors were Nilsson and Pelger. Google it for more info.

 

[Belk]

I'm not completely connecting all the dots here.

Schroedinger was a quantum physicist. He hypothesized about killing a cat--a life form--with quantum theory. IBM has a quantum computer--which I guess they are not quite selling yet, but they are researching together with academic institutions--to simulate a life form, citing hypotheses in Schroedinger's work.

I'm seeing relationships here, but I'm not entirely following what exactly they all are.

No, Schrodinger proposed a thought experiment to show how silly it was to try to apply quantum logic to macro events.