China Set to Claim Supercomputing Crown

For solving the world's biggest problems in defense, energy, finance or physics, China could have a new edge. The nation is poised to take the world's top spot in supercomputers, bypassing the United States. The Tianhe-A1 computer – developed by the Chinese National University of Defense Technology – is 2.5 petaflops, significantly faster than the fastest US computer with 2.3 petaflops, reports Joseph Milton for Nature. The measurement means the Chinese computer can perform 2 quadrillion calculations per second, while relying on chips and other parts from US firms. The majority of supercomputers are still based in the US, but as Milton explains, “China has been working hard to try and outpace the US in this area, investing billions of dollars.” – YaleGloba