Supercomputing and the Transformation of Science (Scientific American Library)

The development of the supercomputer has given scientists an awesome new capability: the power to virtually re-create the physical world on the computer screen, with a stunning degree of precision and sophistication. Everything from weather systems to biochemical interactions to car crashes to air pollution to high speed subatomic particle collisions can now be simulated, manipulated, and observed at the scientist’s will.
As a result, supercomputers have led to profound levels of insight and understanding. Indeed, they have revolutionized the very process of scientific discovery itself. Scientists no longer have to rely exclusively on either experiment-based or theoretical research methodologies, but rather can utilize both direct observation and mathematical modeling to visualize and simulate complex phenomena.
The fascinating, strikingly illustrated Supercomputing and the Transformation of Science provides a state-of-the-art look at the capabilities and scientific contributions of the most powerful computers. Written by noted science author William Kaufmann and supercomputing expert Larry Smarr, the book examines the hardware, software, and techniques of supercomputing, showing how these powerful machines “solve” the mathematical laws that govern natural phenomena and convert the numbers into comprehensive visual images. The book then explores the impact of this extraordinary technology on a wide range of endeavors from medicine to environmental protection, from particle physics to astronomy, from automobile design to meteorology.