Researchers are turning the Sony PlayStation 3 console and other gaming hardware into low-cost supercomputers. They're using the hardware to model drug molecules and black holes, the weekly New Scientist says.
The PS3 console uses a Cell chip made by IBM, Sony and Toshiba. It can run on the Linux operating system.
The chip is prized by chemists and physicists because they can use it for their work. The calculations needed to make graphics for games are similar to those used to simulate reactions between particles.
PHOTO: AP
University of Massachusetts astrophysicist Gaurav Khanna has strung together 16 PS consoles. He uses them to simulate gravity waves that occur when two black holes collide, the British magazine says.
By using the C programming language to run the chip, University of Illinois chemist Todd Martinez found he could run calculations 130 times faster than on an ordinary PC.
His is now calculating the energy of the electrons in 1,000 atoms, which add up to the size of a small protein.
"We can now do the things we were killing ourselves to do," Martinez told New Scientist.
Another scientific tool taken from the world of gaming is the Wii hand-held remote control. It contains a gadget that can sense which direction it is being moved.
Surgeons have been using Wii to improve their operating techniques. Neurologists have turned to it to measure movement problems in patients who have had a stroke or have Parkinson's disease.(AFP)
《新科學週刊》指出，研究員正在著手將新力的PlayStation 3 和其他電玩主機改造成成本較低廉的超級電腦，他們利用這些機體來模擬藥物分子和黑洞的反應。
PS3主機的處理器採用了IBM、新力和東芝合力研發的Cell晶片，它能執行Linux作業系統。
該處理器被化學家和物理學家視為瑰寶，因為它能夠支援他們的運算系統；處理遊戲畫面所需的運算效能和模擬粒子間反應的計算相當類似。
該英國雜誌指出，麻州大學的天體物理學家高瑞．卡納串聯了十六台PS主機，模擬兩個黑洞撞擊時會產生的重力波。
伊利諾伊州立大學的化學教授陶德．馬丁尼茲發現，在此處理器上以C程式語言執行運算，比他用一台普通電腦要快了一百三十倍。
他現在能計算出一個小型蛋白質大小的一千個原子中的電子能量。
馬丁尼茲對《新科學週刊》說：「我們現在能做到我們以前必須拼了命才能完成的事。」
Wii的遙控手把是另一項被運用在科學界的電玩器具，這支手把能感應操縱者遙控的方向。
外科醫生已將Wii的技術應用在改良手術技巧上；神經科醫師也求助於這項技術來測量中風或帕金森式症患者的行動問題。(法新社�翻譯：袁星塵）
In the world of DIY and crafts, creating terrariums has emerged as a popular trend. Whether you have a spacious garden or a compact apartment, anyone can enjoy the beauty of nature at their fingertips with these miniature gardens. But what are terrariums, and why have they taken the world by storm? A terrarium is a sealed glass container that supports plant growth without daily watering. This concept was first developed in the 19th century by Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, an English botanist. While experimenting, Ward accidentally discovered that ferns could grow well in a sealed jar. This observation led
A: The 2024 BWF World Tour Finals just kicked off in Hangzhou, China yesterday. B: Only the world’s top 8 players and Olympic gold medalists are qualified for the annual games. A: Taiwan’s badminton duo, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, won the Olympic gold. Did they qualify? B: Of course. This will be the “Lin-Yang duo’s” last dance. A: Taiwan’s badminton king Chou Tien-cheng, men’s doubles, Yang Po-hsuan and Lee Jhe-huei, and mixed doubles, Yang and Hu Ling-fang, will also compete this time. It’s sure to be awesome. A: 2024世界羽聯「BWF年終總決賽」，昨天已在杭州開打了。 B: 只有世界前8名選手，或奧運金牌才有資格參賽。 A: 台灣的李洋、王齊麟榮獲奧運男雙金牌，也可以參男雙賽囉？ B: 當然啦，而這次將是「麟洋配」的最後一舞！ A: 而台灣球王周天成，男雙楊博軒、李哲輝，混雙楊博軒、胡綾芳也將參賽，讚啦。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
The phenomenon of being “tea drunk” is a unique experience often associated with this popular beverage, especially when consuming brews that are particularly high-quality or strong. Unlike being drunk on alcohol, the effects of tea drunkenness stem from various compounds found in tea leaves. __1__ These substances can have a synergistic effect on the brain, resulting in a state of euphoria, relaxation, or heightened sensory awareness. __2__ One of the most obvious is the caffeine present in tea. It acts as a stimulant that increases alertness and cognitive function. Unlike coffee, however, tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid
A: Taiwan has won three golds at the BWF World Tour Finals in the past. B: Cool, who were the gold medalists? A: Badminton queen Tai Tzu-ying won gold in 2020 and 2023, and men’s double, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, won the title in 2020 as well. B: It’s too bad that both Tai and Lee announced their retirement from badminton. A: Hopefully, Wang and his new partner — the 21-year-old, 189cm-tall Chiu Hsiang-chieh — can also perform well in the future. A: 台灣在「BWF年終總決賽」，曾3度奪金耶。 B: 真酷耶，是誰啊？ A: 戴資穎在2020、2023年度的女單，李洋、王齊麟在2020年的男雙都曾奪金！ B: 不過小戴、李洋已宣布，要從羽壇退休。 A: 希望王齊麟和新搭檔—21歲189公分的邱相榤—未來也能打出好成績。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
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