Archive of past stories
Science in motion (June 3, 2009)
Scientific visualization harnesses the power of computing and human vision
as full partners in scientific reasoning. As this gallery of computer-animated
simulations shows, there is no end to the possibilities in sight.
Full story
Keeping on course (April 14, 2009)
The next big physics facility will collide bunches of protons and oppositely charged positrons,
but there’s a problem: The bunches leave electromagnetic wakes that can perturb particles
that follow. Researchers are applying major computer capacity to decipher the phenomenon before
the collider is built.
Full story
Divide and conquer (January 9, 2009)
Better nanoscale materials for devices like solar cells may depend on bigger, more detailed
computational models. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers have a method that
splits up such models to make them run well on giant computers.
Full story
Challenge sparks U.S. leadership computer plan (November 14, 2007)
A Japanese supercomputer’s record-setting performance surprised American scientists –
and set off a drive to keep American science competitive.
Full story
Oil crisis stalled cars, but jump-started a
supercomputing revolution (July 31, 2007)
The oil embargo of 1973 forever changed the way Americans
think about energy – and it altered the path of
scientific research. Alvin Trivelpiece had a lot to do with
that change.
Full story
From deep freeze to furnace (June 4, 2007)
A researcher is modeling what happens when hydrogen pellets frozen
to near absolute zero are shot into a plasma more than six times hotter
than the sun. What he’s learning could help lead to
clean, abundant energy.
Full story
Burning questions (April 16, 2007)
Powerful computers are simulating how turbulence enhances –
or retards – combustion in clean, efficient engines.
A grant of 2.5 million processor hours from the Department of
Energy’s INCITE program made the model possible.
Full story
