Scientists develop fastest computer

June 9, 2008 By H. JOSEF HEBERT , Associated Press Writer

This undated handout photo provided by IBM and the Feature Photo Service shows lead engineer Don Grice of IBM inspecting the world's fastest computer, nicknamed "Roadrunner", in the company's Poughkeepsie, N.Y. plant. Scientists unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer on Monday, June 9, 2008, a $100 million machine that for the first time has performed 1,000 trillion calculations per second in a sustained exercise. The technology breakthrough was accomplished by engineers from the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the IBM Corp. on a computer to be used primarily on nuclear weapons work, including simulating nuclear explosions. (AP Photo/IBM, Feature Photo Service)

(AP) -- Scientists unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer on Monday, a $100 million machine that for the first time has performed 1,000 trillion calculations per second in a sustained exercise.

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• earls - Jun 09, 2008
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  sextillion
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• Soylent - Jun 09, 2008
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  quadrillion
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• Bonkers - Jun 09, 2008
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  a british billion
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• Glis - Jun 09, 2008
  • Rank: 1.3 / 5 (4)
  "...to help maintain the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile..."
  
  Huh? Couldn't a 486 keep a friggin database? Especially one that should be relatively static. Don't tell me that these things move around so often it's a hassle keeping up.
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• h0dges - Jun 09, 2008
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  1 Petaflop.
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• Soylent - Jun 09, 2008
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  Huh? Couldn't a 486 keep a friggin database? Especially one that should be relatively static. Don't tell me that these things move around so often it's a hassle keeping up.

  
  
  A yes, lets use a 486 for detailed simulations of thermonuclear devices.
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• DGBEACH - Jun 09, 2008
  • Rank: 3 / 5 (1)

  376 million calculations for every watt of electricity used.

  
  At the lowest rate of .20/kWh (X 2.7kW/h) that's over $530/hour...I might be tempted to pull the plug out at night! -:)
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• superhuman - Jun 09, 2008
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  So they worked six years on it and its only twice as fast as the previous one at Lawrence Livermore Lab? Doesn't sound too impressive.
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• thales - Jun 09, 2008
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  However, officials noted the video game Crysis still runs "a little laggy" on the machine.
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• zevkirsh - Jun 09, 2008
  • Rank: 4.5 / 5 (2)
  this thing is fast, but i predict it's out paced by another super computer in less than 6 months. plus the nsa might have something faster than this already but they aint telling you.
  
  z
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• p1ll - Jun 10, 2008
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  Crysis at a trillion FPS at 1,000,000 x 1,000,000 resolution!!!!
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• Oderfla - Jun 12, 2008
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  I think it's sad that the world's fastest computer is going to be used primarily for keeping track of the world's biggest bombs.
  We could do better.
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• jburchel - Jun 16, 2008
  • Rank: 4 / 5 (1)
  What a dork... Military research has helped fuel most of the great innovations of the last 500 years, and personally, I am very grateful. "We could do better"? Ok, I will wait with baited breath for your 2 petaflop machine that will simulate Prius farts...
  
  

  I think it's sad that the world's fastest computer is going to be used primarily for keeping track of the world's biggest bombs.
  We could do better.

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