In classical computing, bit flip errors occur when a binary digit or bit inadvertently switches from a zero to one (or vice versa). Quantum computers experience this error as well as phase flips. Phase flips are when the “phase”, or sign, of a qubit gets inadvertently switched. Both errors can cause qubits to lose their quantum state (or decohere). Classical computers often get around this by cloning data to detect and correct errors. However, this method does not work in quantum computing, so instead we need quantum error correction.