Quantum computers run colder than deep space — here's why

IBM's modular cryogenic system cools below 15 millikelvin, over 180 times colder than deep space at 2.7 K. The extreme cold protects fragile qubits from decoherence, but control wiring from room temperature keeps conducting heat toward the processor.

• IBM cools qubits below 15 mK versus 2.7 K in deep space
• Heat causes decoherence and raises the odds of wrong answers
• More qubits mean more wires and more heat in the fridge
• NIST finalized its first post-quantum standards in August 2024