Business

What supercomputers can do

Groundbreaking environmental research

Ever wondered how fast contaminants spread in groundwater? The supercomputer has the answer. In this simulation, the yellow pollutant is clearly visible. It runs through the groundwater that feeds the three standpipes, which are blue in the simulation.

What supercomputers can do

Illustrating brain activity

Supercomputers can also simulate how fast the billions of neurons in our brains exchange information. And this could shed more light on diseases like Parkinson's or dementia.

What supercomputers can do

Simulations for security

Events like the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca draw large crowds, which can be deadly because of possible stampedes. But computer simulations can quickly predict how to move the masses and anticipate dangerous situations before they can happen.

What supercomputers can do

Improving efficiency

What happens inside a gas stream? Ask a supercomputer. Such computations have many practical benefits. For example, they could help lead to the development of more efficient engines.

What supercomputers can do

Mapping materials

When a laser pulse passes through the surface of a solid, it produces an electron cloud. A supercomputer can diagram such processes, a valuable tool in a number of sciences from materials research to atomic theory.

What supercomputers can do

Breaking down building blocks

Under what conditions do protein molecules arise from inanimate matter? And what do these protein molecules do to the body? A supercomputer's simulations can help us understand the properties of cell membranes - one of the very building blocks of life.

What supercomputers can do

Atomic analysis

Quarks are the building blocks of protons and neutrons. To examine such minuscule particles, scientists turn to supercomputers. The machines can examine the properties of quarks and predict their occurrence.

Author: Clara Walther / bm | Editor : Simon Bone