Every time, when the end of the year gets closer and closer, we use to sum up all the things that happened through those 365 days and 6 hours. Recapitulation of the cycle, the trip of the Earth around the Sun. Now it is time to make a summary of the best of the scientific world in the year that ends. 
Enjoy the best of SCIENCE here: http://news.sciencemag.org/scientific-community/2015/12/best-2015
And the best images of NATURE by clicking on the picture below. Be delighted!

Merry Christmas science freak! Click on the image below and enjoy some science.

Recently, I have been approached several times about an easy way to describe what a quantum computer is. Mainly the basic ideas, first explaining the realms of the quantum world, with superposition and entanglement, have to be clear enough to continue with the definition of the qubit.
The biggest challenges in quantum computing, quoting from Igor Markov, EECS Professor at Michigan and currently at Google, can be summarized as follows:
Applied physics

• Long-living qubits for memory and communication
• High fidelity for a universal set of qubit transformations
• Scaling qubit processors to more than a dozen qubits
• All of the above without extremely low temperatures and at a reasonable cost

Theoretical physics and related mathematics (Lie groups, knot theory, etc)

• Quantum information processing with new particles and physical systems
• New quantum models of computations and new types of quantum error-correction
• Effective quantum control in reproducible quantum systems (including the control of quantum decoherence)
• (Algorithms for) simulating interesting physical systems on various quantum computers

Theoretical computer science, algorithms, and related mathematics (number theory, matrix decompositions, etc)

• Coming up with useful challenges that allow for quantum speedup and finding quantum algorithms that achieve a speed-up
• Proving that some problems do not allow for a quantum speed-up
• Evaluating the complexity/power of various quantum models of computation, proof systems, games (sometimes suggested by theoretical physicists), reducing some of them to others

Quantum computer engineering

• Compilation of quantum algorithms info more effective quantum circuits and control sequences
• Simulation and verification of quantum circuits, algorithms and control sequences, etc
• Better quantum error-correction, perhaps tailored to specific quantum algorithms
• All of the above for specific quantum computers developed by applied physicists

Interdisciplinary challenges

• Avoiding excessive hype. Making it very clear that quantum computers are unlikely to run your email or Web browser in the future.
• Getting funding (this may conflict with the above challenges, so some researchers reorder their priorities)

Also, in the picture below you have an interesting recapitulation about quantum computers, and a very nice video explaining the general idea behind and fundamental concepts.
Please do not hesitate to post any question you might have, I will be more than happy to give a, hopefully, helpful answer.

We all recognize Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex.. but every year new extinct species are discovered. And 2015 has been particularly lucky in this aspect. Discover more about these new exciting dinosaurs which existed once in our planet!

This time I would like to share an article about the next mass extinction. Do you think it is accurate? Share your thoughts!

This is a very interesting advertisement. Imagine shoes designed just according to your feet... The FUTURE is NOW!

This is the first time I am sharing a Podcast. Hopefully you will enjoy it! Just click on the image below to access to it.

Do you think reality is an hologram? What is reality? This time I am not talking about an interpretation of Quantum Mechanics.. or maybe I am? Some experiments have been started to find evidence about the holographic hypothesis. So far, none has been found. Let's wait and see...

Every day you look up in the sky and see our splendid satellite. Have you ever thought about what it could happen to the Earth if the Moon was not there? Click on the fabulous picture below if you want to discover it!