Skip to content

02 | Dead and Alive: Quantum attack

July 14, 2026 · 26 min

Show notes

It's 1994, and a mathematical algorithm puts a spotlight on quantum computing for the first time.

Defence departments, spy agencies and cybersecurity experts are on edge over the explosive Shor's algorithm.

They spend decades and billions of dollars searching for a solution before something called "Q-day" arrives.

Got feedback? Email us [email protected]

Guests:

Dr Henry EverittSenior technologist for optical sciences, US Army

Emeritus Professor Charles ClarkPhysicist, formerly National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Dr Sushmita RujAssociate professor, University of New South Wales' Institute for Cybersecurity

Special thanks to Nick Adams for reading Peter Shor's limerick.

  • Presenter: Jacinta Bowler
  • Producer: Fiona Pepper
  • Senior Producer: Shelby Traynor
  • Executive Producer: Petria Ladgrove
  • Sound Engineer: Tim Jenkins
  • Archives Research: Lisa Chidlow, Michael Osmond
  • Additional audio courtesy of CSIRO Publishing

All episodes of Science Friction

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.