Microsoft is claiming to have created a topological qubit—something engineers have been trying to achieve for years.

The processor uses qubits that can be measured without error and are resistant to outside interference, which the company says marks a “transformative leap toward practical quantum computing.”

Microsoft has made major advances in quantum computing by developing stable, controllable qubits (quantum particles) based on a new topological architecture. These qubits, called Majoranas, exhibit inherent robustness against environmental noise and promise higher speeds,