PS3 to simulate black hole collisions

by Nick Doerr { Mar 4th 2008 at 1:30PM }

How much do you value your brain? Hopefully enough to know not to fry it by trying to understand all the research, formulas, and theories behind the project to use 16 PS3's to simulate a collision of two black holes. Headed in part by Guarav Khanna at UMassD, the project ... well ... it's hard to explain. Perhaps its our lack of scientific knowledge. Khanna calls the setup the "gravity grid" and have installed Linux on the PS3's to more accurately compute the "ripples" caused by gravitational waves from black holes.

It's complicated stuff, but we're impressed to see yet another use for the PS3 outside of the general gaming audience. If you want to learn more about the project, knock yourself out. We'll just sit back and nod like we understand the implications of this research. It sounds really cool, though!

[Via reghardware]

Tags: black-holes, cell, linux, research

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

ajiezer @ Mar 4th 2008 1:35PM

Awesome, the PS3 is tha man

Juan Pablo @ Mar 4th 2008 1:46PM

Well actually I do :)

upz @ Mar 4th 2008 1:49PM

You'd think Sony would be frowning on such applications of the PS3 since they're still being sold as loss leaders. They won't make any money back through software and certain costs of the system are now superfluous (i.e. the Blu-ray), but good on Sony to put that aside to support scientific research. Or is it all just good marketing?

wem003 @ Mar 4th 2008 2:33PM

I'm sure the good publicity showing how powerful it is outweighs the cost of the 16 machines they are going to use.

Darkdrium777 @ Mar 4th 2008 2:19PM

They weren't sold to these people but donated. Says so on their blog. Besides PS3s are not sold at a loss anymore, thanks to advances in component production and the removal of PS2 hardware.

parkd @ Mar 4th 2008 1:55PM

Well, I see you're not using your xbox for gaming right now either...is it in repair?

Trev @ Mar 4th 2008 1:55PM

Obvious and stupid trolling is obvious and stupid.

chris.westermann @ Mar 4th 2008 1:55PM

"Might as well, since nobody's using it for gaming..."

chris.westermann @ Mar 4th 2008 2:01PM

"Might as well, since nobody's using it for gaming..." Wow, that statement is like so 2006. You know, I never troll the XboxFanboy website and say things like, "At least the PS3 CAN run something unlike the Xbrick360".

toothy @ Mar 4th 2008 4:46PM

I suppose the PS3 is running Bioshock, Gears of War, Halo 3

Jove @ Mar 4th 2008 2:16PM

just another way the ps3 is helping out the world! i wonder hows folding@home doing?

farfisa @ Mar 4th 2008 2:24PM

Sounds like we have another music visualizer coming!

Hyams @ Mar 4th 2008 2:32PM

That would be epic.

maverick_saturn_626 @ Mar 4th 2008 2:28PM

Dude, that comment is lame, theres more then enough games out to be played, and this year, the line up is set to dominate.

I think this project is great, thumbs up.

Jove @ Mar 4th 2008 2:31PM

@ darkdrium 777
they broke even yet?

Daniel @ Mar 4th 2008 3:12PM

Wow, no Soundgarden references yet? teehee

mindflayer @ Mar 4th 2008 3:31PM

See, if they had a whole bunch of PS3s on the Icarus 1, then maybe then they would not have had to have an Icarus 2 to restart the sunshine.....

ChodalBerryWagon @ Mar 4th 2008 11:39PM

that movie is AWESOME, one of my favourites.
Is it on Blu-ray?

mindflayer @ Mar 5th 2008 2:51PM

Sunshine is out on BluRay:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Y7U98W?ie=UTF8&tag=mindflayernet-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B000Y7U98W

Watched it the other night on my PS3.

James @ Mar 4th 2008 3:42PM

Oh come on, I got a chuckle out of it. I've had my PS3 since Christmas, and the only "real" PS3 game I own is Ratchet and Clank. I use to to watch movies/TV shows streamed from my PC, to play PS2 games, and I bought two PSN games. I'd like to get Uncharted and Folklore, but I'm going to wait till the price drops a bit more on 'em -- I can get like 3 or 4 good PS2 games for the price of one new PS3 game. I understand that it takes time for the good stuff to drop, but if you aren't looking for an FPS/TPS (heh), sports game, or "sandbox" game/GTA clone, your choices are pretty damn slim.

Jove @ Mar 4th 2008 4:29PM

if they can do this with 16 ps3's imagine the possibilities with 32 ps3's! that university should pour a little more money and get them 16 more ps3's!

bigd7387 @ Mar 4th 2008 4:40PM

I've had my PS3 for 2 months now and I could give a rats monkey ass about what it can compute. You people scream troll's but the PS3 still is gameless and when people point it out again you want to flame. Tough Shit Fanboys, game systems should be for gaming. I'm tired of getting crappy ports and delays.

Nate @ Mar 5th 2008 9:18AM

Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, Guitar Hero 3, Rock Band, Unreal Tournament 3, Burnout Paradise, DMC4, The Orange Box.... and that's only stuff that's come out since about November.

Nate @ Mar 5th 2008 9:19AM

Wait wait wait, you're tired of getting crappy ports and delays, and you've only had the PS3 two months. Exactly what delays and bad ports have come out since January? Hmm?

SkeetSkiLee @ Mar 5th 2008 4:45PM

ahahahahah... he's obviously a liar. you dont have to pretend you have a PS3 to get a point across PS3 fans. I dont know why... but why are people still saying there's no games for the ps3?? I'm actually having a hard time keeping with the games coming out on the ps3... i needs more money o.0

anon @ Mar 4th 2008 4:45PM

lol just use fast pc's they are better than ps3's seen as they can run crysis

whoelse @ Mar 4th 2008 6:07PM

I can only assume your Xbox 3FixMe is broken!

Microswirl @ Mar 4th 2008 7:20PM

The Cell can divide by zero and find the square root of negative numbers.

George @ Mar 5th 2008 3:59AM

I'm no cell processor but doesn't the limit of 1/x as x approaches 0 equal infinity, and the square root of negative numbers are the same as a square root of a positive number multiplied by i.

But I am sure a Cell processor could find the derivative of a discontinuous point. Or better yet integrate e^(e^x)