Chinese researchers have discovered that cosmic rays—specifically subatomic particles called muons—can mess with the delicate operations of quantum computers. By monitoring superconducting quantum chips alongside these cosmic particles, they found that muons and gamma-ray-induced disturbances (known as quasiparticle bursts) can throw a wrench into error-correction techniques, which are crucial for making quantum computing reliable. This is the first direct evidence linking cosmic interference to quantum computing hiccups.

Editor’s Note: Quantum computers are insanely powerful but also incredibly finicky—even tiny disruptions can cause errors. Now, scientists have proof that cosmic rays, which constantly rain down from space, might be part of the problem. This isn’t doom and gloom, though—it’s a clue. If we know cosmic rays are meddling, we can design better shielding or error-correction methods to keep quantum computers on track. It’s like realizing your Wi-Fi keeps cutting out because of a neighbor’s microwave—once you know the cause, you can fix it.