Both of these advances are helping to build the foundation for practical quantum computing, and point to the possibility of consumer grade quantum computers in the future.

FORBES: Using Diamonds and Microwaves to Improve Quantum Computing

Although they are decades from being practical, according to researchers, quantum computers may one day add previously unimagined computing power to such complex tasks as database-searching and breaking secret codes, tasks that now require powerful supercomputers.

FORBES: Atoms Offer Giant Leap In Computing Power

The practical applications could improve the efficiency of quantum computers, where light is often used to transfer information.

ENGADGET: Researchers capture a single atom's shadow, has implications for quantum computers