Quantum Chemistry's Classical Limits with Garnet Chan
From The New Quantum Era - innovation in quantum computing, science and technology by Sebastian Hassinger
April 20, 2026 · 41 min · Episode 89
About this episode
Garnet Chan discusses the classical solutions to quantum chemistry problems and their implications for quantum computing.
One of the most-cited arguments for near-term quantum advantage in chemistry just got a rigorous classical answer — from one of the world's leading quantum chemists. Garnet Chan's group at Caltech solved the FeMo-cofactor ground-state energy problem classically, to chemical accuracy, using tensor networks and coupled cluster methods. If you've heard that quantum computers are uniquely needed to simulate nitrogen fixation, this episode will sharpen — and complicate — that picture.
People in this episode
Host: Sebastian Hassinger
Guest: Garnet Chan
Topics covered
- quantum chemistry
- quantum advantage
- classical methods
- tensor networks
- coupled cluster methods
- nitrogen fixation
Keywords
- quantum chemistry
- FeMo-cofactor
- ground-state energy
- tensor networks
- coupled cluster methods
- nitrogen fixation
- quantum advantage
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Caltech
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