Supercomputers and Artificial Intelligence Create Future Green Industries

Supercomputers and artificial intelligence (AI) are indispensable tools for cooking up the next generation of advanced materials.

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Advanced computers allow scientists to rapidly design better alloys, chemical catalysts, and plastics using millions of potential candidates. Tomorrow's high-tech materials are being road-tested this way to cut down human trial and error.

Reshaping the world for a fossil fuel-free future means working quickly. Climate scientists say emissions must peak by 2025 to minimize environmental damage. And by designing computational materials together with manufacturers who can build and test them quickly, science could rapidly develop technologies like more powerful solar cells and car batteries.

Michael is the name of a supercomputer dedicated to just one task — discovering the ultimate battery system. Researchers at University College London will use Michael (named after renowned physicist and chemist Michael Faraday) to digitally build and test prototypes in every new material and type of cell possible to improve battery life, performance, and price.