Without knowing quantum mechanics and quantum computers
How can we survive in this rapidly changing world?
Recommended by Professors Kim Sang-wook and Kim Beom-jun! A friendly quantum lecture by Professor Chae Eun-mi of Korea University.

Quantum mechanics is no longer an option, but a minimum knowledge required for all of us living in the present.
"First Encounter with the Quantum World" is a book that explains the quantum world, which has been considered difficult and unfamiliar, in a friendly way so that anyone can understand it.
Key concepts such as wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, quantum superposition, and entanglement are explained through vivid analogies and engaging stories, so even those unsure of mathematics can understand them immediately upon reading.
From the smartphones we hold in our hands, the GPS we use every day, the internet and lasers, and even the quantum computers that will change the future, this book shows how close quantum computing is to our everyday lives through concrete examples connected to our daily lives.
In particular, quantum computers present a new paradigm that will shake up all aspects of our lives, from Bitcoin security and financial systems to new drug development and artificial intelligence.
The author, Professor Chae Eun-mi, received her doctorate from Harvard University and is currently an associate professor in the Department of Physics at Korea University.
As a young physicist studying ultra-cold molecules and quantum information, he places quantum mechanics at the center of his liberal arts education and speaks to his readers with affection.
The moment you open this book, quantum mechanics is no longer an unfamiliar subject; it becomes your cultural knowledge.

However, just as we use our smartphones without knowing how they work, if we focus on the 'quantum phenomena' contained in quantum mechanics and the 'quantum technology' we utilize in our daily lives instead of the complex formulas, this unfamiliar science can become a little closer.
And the knowledge acquired in this way can become true 'culture' that will enrich our lives in this rapidly changing era.
With this in mind, this book will keep the formulas to a minimum and discuss how quantum mechanics originated, how it permeates our lives, and what technologies it might evolve into in the future.
I hope that through this book, quantum mechanics will become a little more familiar and, furthermore, science will come one step closer to you.
And I hope that one day we can all talk about quantum mechanics naturally, embrace science as a cultural asset, and share it with others in our daily lives.
Perhaps the 'lack of culture' we feel stems not from a lack of knowledge, but from a distance in our hearts that prevents us from taking the courage to step forward in the face of the unfamiliar.
I hope this book will be a friend who will accompany you on your first steps.
--- From the "Prologue"

Quantum mechanics is a discipline that has been completed through the insights and challenges of countless scientists.
And it became the foundation for the cutting-edge technologies we use today, such as semiconductors, lasers, and quantum computers.
The fact that so many of the technologies we use are based on this tiny quantum world is a reminder of the wonders of science.
Human efforts to understand the tiny, invisible world have ultimately become the key to uncovering the principles of the vast world we live in.
In this way, quantum mechanics is more than just a branch of physics; it has transformed the very way we understand the world and imagine the future.
And this great intellectual journey will continue in the future.
--- From "The Great Intellectual Journey of Man"

In this way, superconducting qubit quantum computers are positioned as a core technology in quantum computing.
It's no exaggeration to say that global companies are leading the quantum computing community with successive announcements of promising results.
By comprehensively examining the high computational speed, ease of control, and various challenges facing superconducting qubits for practical use, we can gauge the potential of quantum computing to transform our lives.
Going forward, superconducting qubit quantum computers will continue to be a core technology driving innovation in diverse fields, including science, industry, finance, and artificial intelligence.
Even though superconducting qubits still face many challenges, their progress will ultimately lead us to a world we can't even imagine, right? --- From "The Future of Superconducting Qubit Quantum Computers"

In preparation for this possibility, the cryptocurrency industry is actively discussing transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography.
In fact, some blockchain projects, such as Ethereum and Quantum-Resistant Ledger (QRL), have experimentally introduced quantum-resistant cryptography.
Additionally, for Bitcoin users, using new addresses instead of old addresses with exposed public keys, or utilizing multi-signature wallets and hardware wallets can be ways to enhance security.
The Bitcoin protocol itself could also be upgraded to quantum-resistant cryptography via hard fork 30 if necessary.
However, a hard fork requires all network participants to change their software to comply with the new rules, a process that takes time.
However, because these changes are structurally possible, Bitcoin can be seen as having the flexibility to adapt to future situations.

--- From "Is My Bitcoin Safe?"