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Japan Builds World's Fastest Computer
claylikethemud writes "The New York Times reports that Japan has built the world's most powerful supercomputer from "640 specialized nodes that are in turn composed of 5,104" NEC processors. The machine boasts the computing power equivalent to the 20 fastest American supercomputers combined, and with a top speed of 35.6 teraflops, outpaces the next fastest machine, the ASCI White Pacific, by more than factor of five. Applications include climate modeling, global warming prediction, and other non-weapons research."
Don't you wonder why they bother? They're only going to have to destroy the thing when it sprouts purple tentacles and destroys Tokyo.
We all know that it's really used for Japan's top secret Super Ultra Omega Gundam Robot Mobile Suit 95006^10.
How to make a liver capable of taking in 60 years of alcoholism?
An Education is the Font of All Liberty
And on June 6th at 06:06 pm Pacific Standard Time it became self-aware.
"sweet dreams are made of this..."
Applications include climate modeling [...] But virtually anything, and any knowledge, can be used to "weapons"
You know you're right!
- scientist: our climate modeling indicates that if we start our weekly barbeque at exactly 6:17pm, a US weapons lab will be destroyed by a powerful tornado in 41 days.
- director: well let's start our barbeque at 6:17pm to see if you're right. Welcome to the 21st century, America! (insert maniacal laughter).
Just think, now that they have all of this processing power they can do some of the following:
1) Make a metal that looks like plastic. Handy for all of those rocket launches.
2) Genetically engineer large reptiles to guard their country from invaders.
3) One word: Gundam.
4) Launch theoretical bombs at ASCI White and see if they can finally win the technology war.
5) Create a fully aware computer program that will help guard us from ourselves.
6) Make a fully synthetic actor that can outact, say, Keanu Reeves. (Oh, sorry, that was the Thunderbirds).
What other possibilities can this thing hold?
"Giving money and power to governments is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." - P.J. O'Rourke
Jeez, could you imagine a single one of those...
...we still operate under this 640 node barrier.
Hell, with a budget of 265 Billion, who are WE defending ourselves from? Everyone else.....at once?
Sorry, just couldn't resist. :)
Eliza did that several years ago.
5) Emulate Grand Theft Auto 3
For some reason Japan isn't all that keen on nuclear weapons.
No, they arn't they seem to prefer the less traditional giant robot to the nuclear weapon standard.
I wonder why...
but does it open the pod doors when asked to? :-)
I'm just waiting for Tom's Hardware to write up an article on how to overclock this to get an additional 1,000,000 fps in Quake III.
All the sudden the most annoying NBC "the only team of certified meteorologists in the Delaware Valley" and "Most accurate forcasting with the Doppler 10,000" seem kind of funny.
I wonder how far in advance this new supercomputer can predict how far John Bolaris is going to be off in his predictions again (the poor guy made some completely overhyped predictions about a blizzard last year in Philly area).
Anyhow, hats off, Japan! I'm impressed.
This particular picture (from the above links.) is mildly disturbing.
0 3. jpg
http://www.es.jamstec.go.jp/esc/gallary/images/
"I'm sorry, I can't do that Dave...."
Lousy facepalm.
You know that skit on Conan Obrien where he shows that a story in the back of the paper is humorously related to a story in the front?
Front page story: Computer generated child porn legalized.
Back page story: Japan builds fastest computer.