Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ), in collaboration with the chemicals company Covestro, have developed a new method for simulating chemical models using fermionic quantum simulators. The key advantage: The energetic states prepared in the lab obey the same laws as the electrons in molecules – which directly align with the molecular behaviour being simulated. By successfully mapping quantum chemistry algorithms onto their fermionic quantum simulator, the team has taken a significant step towards leveraging quantum computing for fundamental questions in chemistry.