The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Microsoft recently introduced a new chip, asserting that quantum computing is "years, not decades" away, aligning with predictions from Google and IBM about a near-future shift in computing technology. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that quantum computing promises to perform calculations in seconds that would take classical systems millions of years, potentially leading to breakthroughs in fields like medicine and chemistry. The main challenge with quantum computers is controlling qubits, which, while fast, are error-prone. Microsoft claims its Majorana 1 chip is more reliable than rivals. Microsoft's Majorana 1 chip utilizes the Majorana fermion—a subatomic particle theorized in the 1930s. This particle's unique properties help reduce errors in quantum computing, though it has been challenging to detect and control. The chip, made with indium arsenide and aluminum, uses a superconducting nanowire for observation and operates with standard computing equipment. Although it has fewer qubits than competitors like Google and IBM, Microsoft believes its Majorana-based qubits will require less quantity for effective computing due to lower error rates.