Dave Bacon
@dabacon.tachyon.institute
Theoretical ski bum. Former pseudo professor. Quantum bridge builder. Will math for food.
mastodon: @[email protected]
https://dabacon.org
mastodon: @[email protected]
https://dabacon.org
Pinned
Dave Bacon
@dabacon.tachyon.institute
· Apr 25
Much Madness is divinest Sense -
To a discerning Eye -
Much Sense - the starkest Madness -
’Tis the Majority
In this, as all, prevail -
Assent - and you are sane -
Demur - you’re straightway dangerous -
And handled with a Chain -
—Emily Dickinson
To a discerning Eye -
Much Sense - the starkest Madness -
’Tis the Majority
In this, as all, prevail -
Assent - and you are sane -
Demur - you’re straightway dangerous -
And handled with a Chain -
—Emily Dickinson
Preprocessing direct in QEC microcode
May I guide the hearts of the gods, and may they protect me, may I be mighty among those who suspend themselves on high. (BDF)
November 26, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Preprocessing direct in QEC microcode
Bullshit is sort of the opposite of a problem in coNP. Instead of hard to find but efficient to verify it is false, it is easy to find and hard to verify it is false.
Who was it who said it takes 10x more effort to refute bullshit than to create it?
November 26, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Bullshit is sort of the opposite of a problem in coNP. Instead of hard to find but efficient to verify it is false, it is easy to find and hard to verify it is false.
Thoth is short for The Toric Code in Ancient Egyptian.
Thoth is the protection of all my flesh. (BDQ)
November 26, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Thoth is short for The Toric Code in Ancient Egyptian.
Ancient Egyptian resource theory with Clifford operations
The sky quivers, the earth quakes before me, for I am a magician, I possess magic. I have come that I may glorify Orion, that I may set Osiris at the head, that I may set the gods upon their thrones. (PTF)
November 25, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Ancient Egyptian resource theory with Clifford operations
Reposted by Dave Bacon
A few quick notes:
1) Magic - not my favorite word choice - comes from magic angle directions and into quantum computing by arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph... . It is not about entanglement.
1) Magic - not my favorite word choice - comes from magic angle directions and into quantum computing by arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph... . It is not about entanglement.
The Large Hadron Collider has a new job. It’s being used to study how information flows through quantum systems — ideas that lie at the core of quantum computing. @shalmawegs.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/particle-phy...
Particle Physicists Detect ‘Magic’ at the Large Hadron Collider | Quanta Magazine
The supercollider is now being used to explore quantum phenomena, including a “magic” form of quantum entanglement.
www.quantamagazine.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:26 PM
A few quick notes:
1) Magic - not my favorite word choice - comes from magic angle directions and into quantum computing by arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph... . It is not about entanglement.
1) Magic - not my favorite word choice - comes from magic angle directions and into quantum computing by arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph... . It is not about entanglement.
If I believed in the simulation hypothesis (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulat... for my opinion that somehow made it to Wikipedia) I’d say this is obviously how magic works arxiv.org/abs/2511.15304
Adversarial Poetry as a Universal Single-Turn Jailbreak Mechanism in Large Language Models
We present evidence that adversarial poetry functions as a universal single-turn jailbreak technique for Large Language Models (LLMs). Across 25 frontier proprietary and open-weight models, curated po...
arxiv.org
November 24, 2025 at 3:58 PM
If I believed in the simulation hypothesis (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulat... for my opinion that somehow made it to Wikipedia) I’d say this is obviously how magic works arxiv.org/abs/2511.15304
The riverlane report is excellent, thanks to the authors for correcting a minor minor minor bug :).
We said that things were moving fast in #QEC in The #QuantumErrorCorrection Report 2025 and that progress was happening from every angle.
So, thanks to @dabacon.tachyon.institute for feeding back on the report (www.riverlane.com/quantum-erro...) and pointing out that...
So, thanks to @dabacon.tachyon.institute for feeding back on the report (www.riverlane.com/quantum-erro...) and pointing out that...
November 24, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The riverlane report is excellent, thanks to the authors for correcting a minor minor minor bug :).
Reposted by Dave Bacon
Chris Umans, Siki Wang
A number-theoretic conjecture implying faster algorithms for polynomial factorization and integer factorization
https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.10851
A number-theoretic conjecture implying faster algorithms for polynomial factorization and integer factorization
https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.10851
November 17, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Chris Umans, Siki Wang
A number-theoretic conjecture implying faster algorithms for polynomial factorization and integer factorization
https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.10851
A number-theoretic conjecture implying faster algorithms for polynomial factorization and integer factorization
https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.10851
Ancient Egyptian Causality
I am Yesterday, I know Tomorrow. (BDB)
November 17, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Ancient Egyptian Causality
Reposted by Dave Bacon
Apply now for SFI’s 2026 CSSS Journalism Fellowship (June 9–July 8). Each year, two accomplished journalists join our summer school program for a deep dive into complexity science. Stipend, housing, and travel covered.
Applications open until Feb. 4, 2026.
Apply: www.santafe.edu/news-center/...
Applications open until Feb. 4, 2026.
Apply: www.santafe.edu/news-center/...
November 14, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Apply now for SFI’s 2026 CSSS Journalism Fellowship (June 9–July 8). Each year, two accomplished journalists join our summer school program for a deep dive into complexity science. Stipend, housing, and travel covered.
Applications open until Feb. 4, 2026.
Apply: www.santafe.edu/news-center/...
Applications open until Feb. 4, 2026.
Apply: www.santafe.edu/news-center/...
Reposted by Dave Bacon
We taught a quantum computer to learn from its own mistakes-- without stopping.
Our RL framework repurposes QEC detection events as learning signals to stabilize the system.
Result: Improved Logical Error Rates for both Surface and Color codes on Willow!
see arxiv: arxiv.org/abs/2511.08493
Our RL framework repurposes QEC detection events as learning signals to stabilize the system.
Result: Improved Logical Error Rates for both Surface and Color codes on Willow!
see arxiv: arxiv.org/abs/2511.08493
November 12, 2025 at 4:44 AM
We taught a quantum computer to learn from its own mistakes-- without stopping.
Our RL framework repurposes QEC detection events as learning signals to stabilize the system.
Result: Improved Logical Error Rates for both Surface and Color codes on Willow!
see arxiv: arxiv.org/abs/2511.08493
Our RL framework repurposes QEC detection events as learning signals to stabilize the system.
Result: Improved Logical Error Rates for both Surface and Color codes on Willow!
see arxiv: arxiv.org/abs/2511.08493
Reposted by Dave Bacon
The list of accepted papers for #QIP2026 is now online at qip2026.lu.lv/programme/ac...
Accepted papers
qip2026.lu.lv
November 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The list of accepted papers for #QIP2026 is now online at qip2026.lu.lv/programme/ac...
“but those pages cannot save me, perhaps because what is good belongs to no one, not even to him, but rather to the language and to tradition” - Borges
November 9, 2025 at 4:31 AM
“but those pages cannot save me, perhaps because what is good belongs to no one, not even to him, but rather to the language and to tradition” - Borges
Hopefullly they also include test of space awards.
Computational Complexity Conference launches its first test of time award. Nominations due by March 2.
computationalcomplex...
computationalcomplex...
November 9, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Hopefullly they also include test of space awards.
Down with the Pauli group stabilizer hegemony scirate.com/arxiv/2511.0...
Clifford Hierarchy Stabilizer Codes: Transversal Non-Clifford Gates and Magic
A fundamental problem in fault-tolerant quantum computation is the tradeoff between universality and dimensionality, exemplified by the the Bravyi-König bound for $n$-dimensional topological stabilize...
scirate.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Down with the Pauli group stabilizer hegemony scirate.com/arxiv/2511.0...
Reposted by Dave Bacon
Department of Physics at UIUC is looking for an Assistant Professor in Theoretical Quantum Information Science, including, but not limited to, quantum error correction, quantum optics, quantum algorithms, and AMO physics.
Application deadline: Dec 1
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Application deadline: Dec 1
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Grainger Engineering: Assistant Professor in Theoretical QIS - Department of Physics
Duties & Responsibilities
illinois.csod.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Department of Physics at UIUC is looking for an Assistant Professor in Theoretical Quantum Information Science, including, but not limited to, quantum error correction, quantum optics, quantum algorithms, and AMO physics.
Application deadline: Dec 1
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Application deadline: Dec 1
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Reposted by Dave Bacon
To celebrate 2025 John Bell Day, which marks the work of the great Northern Irish quantum physicist, do check out this legendary feature he wrote for Physics World just before he died in 1990. ⚛️🧪🔭
physicsworld.com/a/against-me...
physicsworld.com/a/against-me...
Against 'measurement': John Bell on our continuing struggles with quantum mechanics – Physics World
Uncertainty over terms such as ‘apparatus’ is still rife in serious discussions of quantum mechanics, over 60 years after its conception, says John Bell
physicsworld.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:34 PM
To celebrate 2025 John Bell Day, which marks the work of the great Northern Irish quantum physicist, do check out this legendary feature he wrote for Physics World just before he died in 1990. ⚛️🧪🔭
physicsworld.com/a/against-me...
physicsworld.com/a/against-me...
Reposted by Dave Bacon
Congratulations to Venkat Guruswami, new director of the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing (@simonsinstitute.bsky.social)! And congrats to us, the Theoretical CS community, for having someone as good, dedicated, and wonderful as him at the helm of a place so important to us! #TCSSky
October 30, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Congratulations to Venkat Guruswami, new director of the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing (@simonsinstitute.bsky.social)! And congrats to us, the Theoretical CS community, for having someone as good, dedicated, and wonderful as him at the helm of a place so important to us! #TCSSky
Reposted by Dave Bacon
The Frontiers of Programmable Quantum Dynamics: Advances and Applications
conference has concluded today, and recorded talks are now available to watch at
buff.ly/2lD7WTC and buff.ly/AXJjS4e
Watch more talks from the associated program online at buff.ly/QHE8YtH
🧪
conference has concluded today, and recorded talks are now available to watch at
buff.ly/2lD7WTC and buff.ly/AXJjS4e
Watch more talks from the associated program online at buff.ly/QHE8YtH
🧪
KITP Conference: Frontiers of Programmable Quantum Dynamics: Advances and Applications
buff.ly
October 31, 2025 at 1:16 AM
The Frontiers of Programmable Quantum Dynamics: Advances and Applications
conference has concluded today, and recorded talks are now available to watch at
buff.ly/2lD7WTC and buff.ly/AXJjS4e
Watch more talks from the associated program online at buff.ly/QHE8YtH
🧪
conference has concluded today, and recorded talks are now available to watch at
buff.ly/2lD7WTC and buff.ly/AXJjS4e
Watch more talks from the associated program online at buff.ly/QHE8YtH
🧪
Reposted by Dave Bacon
It’s really too bad that my sub-field of quantum foundations research doesn’t have any Halloween-related or spooky aspects, no way that anyone could ever use the season to drum up any... any fake-quoted, overdramatic…
Oh.
Oh dear.
molotovsunsets.substack.com/p/the-univer...
Oh.
Oh dear.
molotovsunsets.substack.com/p/the-univer...
The Universe Knows How You Die
Retrocausality and the Backward Reach of Time
molotovsunsets.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 4:10 PM
It’s really too bad that my sub-field of quantum foundations research doesn’t have any Halloween-related or spooky aspects, no way that anyone could ever use the season to drum up any... any fake-quoted, overdramatic…
Oh.
Oh dear.
molotovsunsets.substack.com/p/the-univer...
Oh.
Oh dear.
molotovsunsets.substack.com/p/the-univer...
Reposted by Dave Bacon
Another day, another arxiv paper claiming that classical gravity can produce entanglement. Last week's Nature paper continues to cause confusion. But classical fields can't create entanglement *even if* they directly couple two masses. Comment added at superposer.substack.com/p/no-classic...
October 28, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Another day, another arxiv paper claiming that classical gravity can produce entanglement. Last week's Nature paper continues to cause confusion. But classical fields can't create entanglement *even if* they directly couple two masses. Comment added at superposer.substack.com/p/no-classic...
Academia giving up self governance makes me so sad. I remember when Caltech used to have faculty actually interview undergrad applicants, which I think led to more outliers and quirkiness. Efficiency breeds homogeneity.
The University of Chicago "does not list a single faculty member on its board... composed predominantly of CEOs and CFOs from private-equity or venture-capital firms, lawyers, and a founder of a women’s professional-football group." www.chronicle.com/article/rese...
Research Is the U. of Chicago’s Lifeblood. Its Board Is Killing It.
A great university could be reduced to a shell of its former self.
www.chronicle.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Academia giving up self governance makes me so sad. I remember when Caltech used to have faculty actually interview undergrad applicants, which I think led to more outliers and quirkiness. Efficiency breeds homogeneity.
Reposted by Dave Bacon
43 years ago today, readers the world over opened their newspapers and gazed upon cow tools for the first time. happy birthday cow tools. you look great.
October 28, 2025 at 12:23 PM
43 years ago today, readers the world over opened their newspapers and gazed upon cow tools for the first time. happy birthday cow tools. you look great.
Reposted by Dave Bacon
yeah, i read theory
July 26, 2025 at 1:11 PM
yeah, i read theory
This story reminded me of the magazine Quantum, a godsend for me, rural high school hick who loved math and physics. It turns out the issues are all online www.nsta.org/quantum-maga...
October 28, 2025 at 3:44 AM
This story reminded me of the magazine Quantum, a godsend for me, rural high school hick who loved math and physics. It turns out the issues are all online www.nsta.org/quantum-maga...