Previously limited to small, one-dimensional forms, time crystals can now be explored at larger scales thanks to IBM Quantum computers and innovative ways to combine quantum and classical computing resources. Time crystals scale Crystals are materials whose particles form repeating patterns that resist deformation, commonly seen in nature as snowflakes, diamonds, or table salt. When energy is periodically added to certain quantum systems, particles can lock into stable rhythms, such as spins flipping in a regular cycle. Larger and higher-dimensional time crystals were theorized, but their complexity made them impossible to model using classical computers. Looking ahead, the team plans to explore more complex time crystals using IBM’s Quantum Nighthark chips, which offer greater qubit connectivity.