This could lead to a truly random number generator making things much more secure.
Random numbers are crucial for computing, but our current algorithms aren’t truly random. Researchers at Brown University have now found a way to tap into the fluctuations of quasiparticles to generate millions of truly random numbers per second.
Random number generators are key parts of computer software, but technically they don’t quite live up to their name. Algorithms that generate these numbers are still deterministic, meaning that anyone with enough information about how it works could potentially find patterns and predict the numbers produced. These pseudo-random numbers suffice for low stakes uses like gaming, but for scientific simulations or cybersecurity, truly random numbers are important.
In recent years scientists have turned to the strange world of quantum physics for true randomization, using photons to generate strings of random ones and zeroes or tapping into the quantum vibrations of diamond. And for the new study, the Brown scientists tried something similar.
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