List-branches-of-space-sciences. Astronomers Create First Realistic Virtual Universe. Move over, Matrix - astronomers have done you one better. They have created the first realistic virtual universe using a computer simulation called "Illustris. " Illustris can recreate 13 billion years of cosmic evolution in a cube 350 million light-years on a side with unprecedented resolution. "Until now, no single simulation was able to reproduce the universe on both large and small scales simultaneously," says lead author Mark Vogelsberger (MIT/Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), who conducted the work in collaboration with researchers at several institutions, including the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies in Germany. These results are being reported in the May 8th issue of the journal Nature. Previous attempts to simulate the universe were hampered by lack of computing power and the complexities of the underlying physics.
As a result those programs either were limited in resolution, or forced to focus on a small portion of the universe. Astronomers create first realistic virtual universe. Related images(click to enlarge) Illustris Collaboration NASA / Illustris Collaboration Move over, Matrix -- astronomers have done you one better. They have created the first realistic virtual universe using a computer simulation called "Illustris. " Illustris can recreate 13 billion years of cosmic evolution in a cube 350 million light-years on a side with unprecedented resolution. These results are being reported in the May 8th issue of the journal Nature. Previous attempts to simulate the universe were hampered by lack of computing power and the complexities of the underlying physics.
Illustris employs a sophisticated computer program to recreate the evolution of the universe in high fidelity. The team dedicated five years to developing the Illustris program. The computer simulation began a mere 12 million years after the Big Bang. Since light travels at a fixed speed, the farther away astronomers look, the farther back in time they can see. "Illustris is like a time machine. Armagh Observatory. Illustris - Main. An Atlas of The Universe. COSMOS: A Spacetime Odyssey.