An interview with a 7-year-old quantum reporter

Archie Jones is incredibly passionate about science and enjoys creating and filming his own science related videos. In November 2020, Archie was encouraged to enter the ITV’s ‘My News in 65’ competition which required entrants to create a 65 second news report about a story important to them, under the themes of ‘happiness’, ‘change’ or ‘inspiration’. Archie chose to report on quantum computing under the theme of ‘change’ and interviewed Quantum Communications Hub Director, Professor Tim Spiller, about what quantum computing is, whether we should be worried about it, how it will benefit humanity in the future and what excites him most about its possibilities. You can watch Archie’s news report here.

Following his news report, we caught up with Archie to find out a little more about him, what interests him about quantum computing and what he hopes to do in the future, find out more below:

Why do you love science?

I love science because there are so many interesting things to study, from space to particles. I’ve learned a lot of things from watching The Brightside and other channels on YouTube. Mum says I’ve always asked questions, I joined Mensa when I was three years old.

Why did you choose to do your film on quantum computing, what interested you in it?

I found an app which showed me the biggest and smallest things in the universe and I found out about tiny things like particles and massive things like UY Scuti [the largest known star in the universe]. My school had a science fair when I was six and my class was meant to do a project about growing a plant but I wanted to do mine on particles. I made two films, one on the Large Hadron Collider and one where I made a Cloud Chamber. I won the science fair! My interest in quantum things grew from this.

I am very interested in scientists and mathematicians, I love Alan Turing and visited Bletchley Park to see the model of the Bombe with my mum last year. I have an annual pass to the Wonderlab at the Science Museum. I’ve only been there once because of lockdown but I loved it and can’t wait to visit again. I love going to exhibitions and museums and my Mum and Dad have taken me to loads. For my sixth birthday I asked my mum to take me to Tate Modern!

What excites you most about the possibilities of quantum computing?

I’m excited about the ability to create an artificial planet. I hope that quantum computers will be able to work out how to create a spare planet Earth for humans to live on if/when the Sun explodes.

What do you hope to do when you grow up?

I want to have multiple jobs, these include: Archaeologist, Scientist, Doctor, Teacher and Architect. I am also very interested in Geography and want to travel the world to see all the countries I’ve learned about. Mum says I should be a comedian!

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