Before getting into qubits and circuits, it helps to know what a quantum computer actually is and why so much effort is going into building one. This module is that on-ramp: it's short on math, but it gives you the context that makes every later module click faster.
It starts with a short explainer of what quantum computing is and how it differs from the classical computers we use today. From there a beginner-friendly talk covers superposition and where quantum computers could be useful, and a big-picture map of the field shows how the algorithms, hardware, and applications fit together. It closes with an in-depth conversation with a quantum engineer, which you can return to as you move through the rest of this course.
Watch the lessons in order, then continue on to Math Foundations.
Kurzgesagt's animated introduction to why classical computers are reaching their physical limits, and how qubits, superposition, and entanglement offer a different approach.
A TED talk by quantum physicist Shohini Ghose that explains quantum behavior in plain language and what quantum computers could mean for the future.
Domain of Science's tour of the whole field: how quantum computers work, the main models of quantum computing, potential applications, and the obstacles to building them.
An in-depth conversation with UNSW quantum engineering professor Andrea Morello on qubits, how they store and process information, and the challenges of building real quantum hardware.