In February 2014 Time magazine announced to the world that the first quantum computer had been put in use. One key component of this computer is the Josephson-junction, a superconducting device, based on completely different scientific and technological principles with respect to semiconductors. The origin of superconductors dates back to the 1960s, to a large-scale 20-year long IBM project aimed at building ultrafast computers. We present a detailed study of the relationship between Science and Technology making use of the theoretical tools of presumptive anomaly and technological paradigms: superconductors were developed whilst the semiconductors revolution was in full swing. We adopt a historiographical approach - using a snowballing technique to sift through the relevant literature from various epistemological domains and technical publications - to extract theoretically robust insights from a narrative which concerns great scientific advancements, technological leaps forward and business-driven innovation. The study we present shows how technological advancements, business dynamics and policy intertwine.

中文翻译：

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冷数字：超导超级计算机和推测异常

2014年2月，《时代》杂志向世界宣布，第一台量子计算机已经投入使用。该计算机的一个关键组件是约瑟夫森结，这是一种超导设备，它基于有关半导体的完全不同的科学和技术原理。超导体的起源可以追溯到1960年代，这是一个长达20年的大规模IBM项目，旨在建造超快计算机。我们利用假定异常和技术范式的理论工具，对科学与技术之间的关系进行了详细研究：超导体是在半导体革命如火如荼地进行中开发的。我们采用历史学方法-使用滚雪球技术筛选各种认识论领域和技术出版物中的相关文献-从涉及重大科学进步，技术飞跃和业务驱动型创新的叙述中提取理论上扎实的见解。我们目前的研究表明技术进步，业务动态和政策是如何交织在一起的。