Today at 3pm eastern standard time Janes Defense Weekly is going to run an article about the Cell processors recently aquired by the United States government. The Cell apparantly suffers from two previously unknown material phenomena similar to the tin whisker phenomena. The new phenomena are labeled MFG micro filament granules, and MLF micro loop filaments. This according to research done by DARPA with assistance from both Fermi lab, and Los Alamos.
They have further field tested commercially available units, and the same process persists which means it is endemic to all Cell processors. The phenomena basically causes thin wires of material to splinter off from the circuts and either twist back around themselves into complex spherical forms, or to loop out with two ends connected to the circuit. What is surprising about these loops is that they are perfectly symetrical, and can have long persistent duration. One loop from the original batch of chips has actually exceeded three millimeters in length.
The only reason that the phenomena was discovered is, because the United States government uses a standardized testing system for all military hardware. Most companies or governments would not examine for whisker type of phenomena for chips that do not contain whisker inducing metals most specifically tin which requires lead to counteract the effect. However the test that detected the filaments is standard regardless of whether such materials are present or not.
Ironically the United States government views the entire exercise as a critical success. The scientists studying the phenomena see great opportunities for both science and technology. From new highly sensitive detection equipment to new lightweight material fabrication. One has gone so far as to say this accidental discovery overshadows the discovery of Penicillin which was also an accidental discovery.
The article will be well worth reading. I recieved a transcript of the article from a friend who fact checks on a voluntary basis for Janes Defense Weekly. I highly recommend that everyone read it when it is posted. Yes it is interesting in respect to gaming, but the science and the potential of this discovery are mind boggling. Even if the Cell chip is a technological bust it will go down in history as one of those moments that opened up entirely new fields of scientific inquiry.
The article is far more in depth, but I feel the site that is going to break the story deserves to get all the credit it deserves. Well written and if my friend has anything to do with it well sourced with appropriate research links.
Thoughts.
