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IBM gets behind physics research

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise Processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science. Credentials
  • Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
Stephen Shankland
The University of Rochester will use five top-end p690 "" Unix servers from IBM for physics and computing research programs, Big Blue plans to announce Thursday. IBM awarded part of the hardware through a grant.

Four 16-processor machines will be used to investigate fusion, the energy source of the sun, and the birth of stars. In addition, a 32-processor machine will be used to investigate "complexity-adaptive processing," in which a computer changes its own chips' configuration so that only the necessary parts of the chip operate, cutting energy consumption.