Inside Science: Orca Computing’s Photonic Quantum Computer, Helium Shortages, and the Antibiotic Challenge

Inside Science explores Orca Computing, a London startup building quantum computers that use photons. CEO Richard Murray explains a modular photonic system where single photons become qubits in a processor, with measurement feeding back to classical computers and AI accelerating machine learning workflows. The episode also delves into helium, a critical cryogen for cooling quantum devices and MRI, with Dr. Rebecca Ingle outlining why helium is scarce and essential, and how storage and supply shape the future of cryogenics. The discussion then turns to antimicrobial resistance, featuring Kevin Alterson on the broken antibiotic market and promising leads, followed by a quick look at science news such as the moon’s potential to support potatoes.

Orca Computing and Photonic Quantum Hardware

Inside Science investigates Orca Computing, a startup developing photonic quantum computers. Richard Murray, chief executive and co-founder, describes a boxy photonic quantum computer made from modules that start with perfect single photons and end with a processor module that creates and manipulates qubits. Photons, as Murray explains, form the feedstock for their qubits and can be routed using beam splitters and interferometers to perform quantum operations. The system relies on the unique properties of light and photonic circuits implemented with telecoms equipment, which allows operation without extreme cooling. Murray emphasizes that the company has already deployed 11 systems globally, including one en route to Japan for industrial deployment, underscoring a tangible commercialization path for quantum accelerators integrated with existing AI and machine learning software.

"we use photons, which are fundamental particles of light, to make up our quantum computers." - Richard Murray

How Photonic Qubits Work and Why It Matters

The interview moves from high-level promises to the hardware details. Murray explains a modular architecture: a top module that generates perfectly identical single photons, a processor module that converts photons into qubits and performs beam-splitter operations to move and manipulate them, and a measurement stage that collapses the quantum state into a classical signal for a conventional computer. The conversation touches on why photonic quantum computers can be more practical than their chandelier-style, cryogenically cooled cousins, because light-based systems can be built from standard telecoms equipment and do not require ultra-low temperatures for all designs. The potential for these devices to act as accelerators inside conventional machine learning workflows is highlighted as a pragmatic route to commercial impact, rather than a dramatic leap to solve chemistry or materials problems overnight.

Quantum Advantage, Commercial Use, and the Pace of Change

Discussing progress, Murray notes that quantum devices have demonstrated tasks that outpace classical computers for certain problems, but the practical utility on real-world commercial problems remains just over the horizon. The team’s stance is that quantum advantage exists in principle, but turning that into reliable, valuable tools requires careful integration with existing algorithms and data workflows. The segment also addresses how a small, nimble startup can compete by focusing on AI-augmented quantum accelerators rather than asking for a full replacement of traditional computing for every use case.

Helium: Cryogenics and the Global Supply Challenge

The program then turns to helium, a critical, often overlooked coolant for advanced scientific instruments. Dr. Rebecca Ingle explains helium’s role in cryogenics, including its exceptionally high thermal conductivity and its ability to reach temperatures around 4.2 Kelvin, enabling superconducting components and other cryo-systems used in research labs and medical imaging. She discusses why helium primarily comes from geological reserves carved out during natural gas extraction, how helium’s lightness makes it prone to escape, and why storage is nontrivial. The conversation links helium supply to broader geopolitical and industrial factors, suggesting that helium availability could influence the scalability of cryogenic technologies and the maintenance of AI-augmented quantum systems.

"helium is the undisputed king of cryogenics" - Dr. Rebecca Ingle

Antimicrobial Resistance: The Antibiotic Market and New Leads

Roland Pease introduces the antimicrobial resistance segment, with Kirsty Sands from an international resistance surveillance network describing how resistance genes spread through horizontal gene transfer among bacteria, often carried on plasmids. The discussion then centers on the antibiotic market, where Kevin Alterson argues the model is broken, with many hopeful antibiotic leads failing due to cost, regulation, and market dynamics. He underscores that even when drug candidates reach approval, billions of dollars can be wiped out by investors, and suggests a need for new models to sustain antibiotic development. The program also covers how researchers are exploring novel compounds, like a recently discovered molecule with activity against resistant strains and a resistance profile that makes it harder for bacteria to develop quick resistance, signaling cautious optimism about the antibiotic landscape.

"the antibiotic market is broken" - Kevin Alterson

Moon Potatoes and Other Science News

As a micro-portion of the show’s science round-up, Gareth Mitchell reports on preprint work suggesting potatoes could be grown on the Moon if regolith is augmented with fertilizer and organic matter. The segment also covers metabolic regulation in pythons and a line of thought tracing Ozempic-like drugs to Gila monsters, illustrating how cross-species biology can inspire human medicine. The closing chatter underscores the breadth of science covered by the program, from space agriculture to obesity pharmacology.

"potatoes can be grown on the moon" - Gareth Mitchell

Closing Reflections

The episode closes by tying together the themes of practical engineering, supply chains, investment realities, and the iterative nature of scientific progress, leaving listeners with a sense of the incremental but meaningful steps being taken toward real-world impact in quantum computing, cryogenics, and antibiotic discovery.