Australian of the Year Professor Michelle Simmons says social media is making our kids believe they know everything. 

Simmons tells Alan Jones social media connectivity gives us a “very shallow understanding”, but if you actually build something yourself and go through that process, you understand it at a deeper level.

Professor Simmons is currently working on a quantum computer capable of solving, in minutes, problems that would take regular computers thousands of years.

While also working on this pioneering leap in computing, Simmons has another goal.

“Getting Australians to realise they’re at the very forefront of a lot of fields… that’ s my next big challenge.”

Click PLAY for the full chat with Professor Simmons 

Nominations for the 2019 Australian of the Year close on July 31st, click HERE for details

Image: UNSW Sydney