A kid 3D-printed a human ear — then found out how quantum computers discover new drugs

Would you like to print a new ear? How about a new heart?In this episode of The Quantum Kid, 9-year-old Kai goes somewhere very few kids ever get to go: a real bioprinting lab at ETH Zurich. With the help of a researcher, Kai 3D-prints a mini human ear 🦻 made from living cells, and learns how scientists use printed tissue to study the body and test new medicines.Back in the studio, Kai has a fascinating discussion about another big "wow" in science: the use of quantum computing for drug discovery. He chats with two quantum experts:Pedram Roushan, quantum physicist at Google Quantum AISabrina Maniscalco, Professor of Quantum Information Science and Co-Founder and CEO of AlgorithmiqThey explain how quantum computers are different from regular computers, and why they could help scientists discover new drugs by understanding molecules in much more detail. To help Kai and viewers understand quantum, we use analogies like LEGO bricks with mini brains 🧱🧠: tiny building blocks that can hold lots of possibilities at once, which is exactly what chemistry and biology need.Chapters:0:00 Inside a real bioprinting lab0:20 Why quantum computing matters for medicine0:47 The problem with studying molecules2:42 Why molecules are so hard to simulate6:12 How 3D bioprinting actually works9:25 The challenge of engineering living tissue11:05 The problems classical computers can't solve13:41 Quantum vs. classical computing, explained15:20 How AI and quantum computing work together18:52 What's next for drug discovery20:35 How soon could quantum drug discovery happen?22:22 Inside the design of a quantum algorithm25:01 What the future of science could look likeReal labs. Real scientists. Big ideas, explained so viewers of any age can follow along.🎧 Follow The Quantum Kid on Spotify for new episodes▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KaiTheQuantumKid🌐 tesseractquantum.com