John Baez - 2011-10-31 10:32:04+0000 - Updated: 2011-10-31 10:32:35+0000
"They've laid down 300 DDQ molecules on a gold substrate, setting them up as a cellular automaton. More impressive still, they've then initialised the system so that it "calculates" the way heat diffuses in a conducting medium and the way cancer spreads through tissue."
If they're just getting something to simulate the heat equation - that is, the process whereby something spreads out through the random motion of small objects - that might be very unimpressive.
Okay, it sounds like one should be able to do more exciting things with these than simulate diffusion processes. I can simulate a diffusion process with sugar in a cup of coffee. :-)
If they're just getting something to simulate the heat equation - that is, the process whereby something spreads out through the random motion of small objects - that might be very unimpressive.