China: China's Tianqiong supercomputer redefines scientific research.

Storyline China's Tianqiong supercomputer redefines scientific research In China, a homegrown supercomputer is opening new frontiers in scientific research, combining massive computing power with unprecedented speed to drive breakthroughs from materials science to biopharmaceuticals. Unlike traditional supercomputers, where data flow can resemble congested one‑way traffic, Tianqiong is designed with a 3D network architecture, allowing data to move in multiple directions simultaneously. The result is a dramatic leap in speed. Zha Hao, CEO of Shanghai Smartlogic Technology Ltd.: "Two to four orders of magnitude means it is hundreds to tens of thousands of times faster than other computers. This turns problems that were previously unsolvable into ones that can be computed within just a few days." At the Shanghai Academy of AI for Science, a joint team has built a virus simulation system with up to 930,000 atoms. Powered by Tianqiong and the AI platform “NovaInspire,” the system is significantly speeding up the development of antiviral drugs. Cao Fenglei, head of physical sciences, Shanghai Academy of AI for Science: "We can quickly complete the entire process from target analysis to drug discovery, accelerating the efficiency of drug repurposing. This has shortened the timeline from more than three months to just about four days." Tianqiong was officially unveiled in early 2026 after more than a decade of research and development. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]