Over the last two to three years, several advancements have allowed companies to create more practical quantum computers that are largely similar to traditional computers. With this accessibility issue now addressed, the stage is set for quantum computing to become a trillion-dollar industry. Recent breakthroughs in this emerging field, such as IBM's 100-qubit quantum chip, are propelling the industry forward. Haim Israel, managing director of research at Bank of America, has said that this breakthrough tech may be, "a revolution for humanity bigger than fire, bigger than the wheel."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 What exactly is quantum computing?  The underlying physics of this technological breakthrough - Quantum Mechanics - is a big, complex topic that would require 500 pages to fully understand. For centuries, scientists have developed, tested, and validated the laws of the physical world-which are known as CLASSICAL MECHANICS. These laws scientifically explain how things work. Why they work. Where they come from. So on and so forth. But the discovery of the electron in 1897 by J.J. Thompson unveiled a new, subatomic world of super-small things that didn't quite obey the laws of classical mechanics. They don't obey then at all actually. Instead, they follow their own set of rules.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 For starters, subatomic particles can theoretically exist in multiple places at once. Weird I know. And this is why we needed a new set of laws to explain subatomic particle behavior. In classical mechanics, you and I can only be in one place at one time. You are either at the store, or at home. But in quantum mechanics, subatomic particles can theoretically exist in multiple places at once before they are observed. A single subatomic oarticle can exist in point A and point B at the same time, until we observe it, at which point it only exists at either point A or point B. So, the true "location" of a subatomic particle at any given time is some combination of all its possible locations. It can be everywhere, all at once. Magical. Yes. But, also true - and it's a phenomenon we call QUANTUM SUPERPOSITIONING.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Another quantum phenominon is that, in classical mechanics, objects can only "work" with things that are also "real". You can't use your imaginary friend to help move the couch. You need your real friend to help you. But in quantum mechanics, you sort of can use your imaginary friend. That is, remember how the true location of a subatomic particle is the combination of all of its probabilistic states? Well, all of those probabalistic states are not independent. They're entangled. So, if we know something about the probabalistic positioning of one subatomic particle, then we know something about the  probabilistic positioning of another subatomic particle. It's all connected, meaning that theoretically, all of these probabilistic states can work together, all at once. This is called QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Between entanglement and superpositioning, subatomic particles can theoretically have multiple probabilistic states at once, and all those probabilistic states can work together - again, all at once - to accomplish some task. Pretty wild right? It goes against everything classical mechanics taught us about the world. It goes against common sense. But it's true. It's real. And now, for the first time ever, we are learning how to harness this unique phenomenom to change everything about everything.  This is why Mr. Israel is so excited about quantum computing. It's why he thinks it could be more revolutionary than the discovery of fire or the invention of the wheel. Mark my words. Everything will change over the next few years because of quantum mechanics - and some inventors are going to make a lot of money.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         LUKE LANGO    Editor of Hypergrowth Investing