  We propose an experimental setup for detecting a Majorana zero mode
consisting of a spinless quantum dot coupled to the end of a p-wave
superconducting nanowire. The Majorana bound state at the end of the wire
strongly influences the conductance through the quantum dot: Driving the wire
through the topological phase transition causes a sharp jump in the conductance
by a factor of 1/2. In the topological phase, the zero temperature peak value
of the dot conductance (i.e. when the dot is on resonance and symmetrically
coupled to the leads) is e^2/2h. In contrast, if the wire is in its trivial
phase, the conductance peak value is e^2/h, or if a regular fermionic zero mode
occurs on the end of the wire, the conductance is 0. The system can also be
used to tune Flensberg's qubit system [PRL 106, 090503 (2011)] to the required
degeneracy point.
