• Question: does using super computers EVER confuse

    Asked by saneaah118 to Julian, Jane, Hugh, Helen, Heather on 11 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Julian Onions

      Julian Onions answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Yes – of course, the programs we run are only as good as the data we feed in, and how good the writer of the program was. So its extremely easy to make results that make no sense, so one always has to be vigilant.

    • Photo: Heather Campbell

      Heather Campbell answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Yes, I find them confusing too! I’m not that great at computer programming on a “normal” computer let alone a supercomputer! But some of the problems we need to solve are just so big we cant do it with out them any more.

      But being very patient and thorough is a good way to succeed, lots of little steps and tests before running big jobs.

    • Photo: Helen Johnson

      Helen Johnson answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      I’m definitely confused by supercomputers. I find it fascinating that we can simulate dark matter, star formation, the implications of supermassive black holes etc. and use all this to figure out something about the Universe… but I think I’ll stick to my little computer here for now 😛

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