The US Energy Department on Monday revealed that it is building a supercomputer worth $500 million. The machine, dubbed Aurora, should be the first American computer capable of performing more than a quintillion calculations per second and will enable the US to stay ahead of China in the technology race between the two powers.
Aurora could be used to improve scientific knowledge of very complex phenomena such as climate change, but also for national defense purposes, such as code decryption and weapons design.
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