This massive result proved that quantum computers...

[GoodTaste]

“I was really surprised to learn I have been awarded the prize,” says Shor. “There is so much that others have done.” In the 1990s, Shor developed the first potentially useful quantum algorithm, which could one day enable quantum computers to speedily break large numbers down into their prime factors2. This raises the possibility of cracking encryption codes used to secure much of today’s Internet traffic, which are based on large prime numbers. “This massive result proved that quantum computers were more than just another academic curiosity,” says Nikita Gourianov, a quantum physicist at the University of Oxford.

Source: Nature

Does "this massive result" refer back to "the possibility of cracking encryption codes used to secure much of today’s Internet traffic"?

 

[GoodTaste]

Rise!

 

[emsr2d2]

Rise!

What on earth does that mean?

 

[GoodTaste]

What on earth does that mean?

The thread is sinking down and lying dormant. So I command it to get up/rise.

 

[emsr2d2]

Bumping threads is discouraged on the forum. When volunteers have something to say, they'll say it.

 

[jutfrank]

The massive result was Shor's quantum algorithm.

 

[GoodTaste]

The massive result was Shor's quantum algorithm.

Is the usage informal, meaning very influential?

 

[probus]

It's perfectly understandable. I wouldn't say it's informal, just slightly unusual. It's a pretty good bet that Gorianov's native language is not English. In my opinion he means that the result is very important.

 

[jutfrank]

The results of Shor's work were massively significant because they showed that it was feasible to break down large numbers into their prime factors.