Computer Simulations Reveal Universal Increase in Electrical Conductivity

Great information. I tried this experiment on LiF crystals in 1992 but could not get much results but it may be feasible to have some useful results in semiconductor materials.

EXCUSE ME! This article seems to imply that knowledge of physics can be learned from watching a simulation. The fact is that the physics must be known before the program is written. Or am I missing the point? Your opinions please.

Thats what I think! All to often we think we know whats going to happen watching those nice simulation movies just to wake up to the call of nature which says: No my friend, this is not what happens next!

But we are not always able to watch and experiment with physics and get the correct physical correlation out from it either. This shall not be an excuse to substitute simulation with reality, but sometimes its the only thing we have.

Other than that the article is jumping ahead of schedule which probably just is more simulation to prove a simulation until somebody clever comes along . . .

Where is Mister Zweistein when you need him?

Simulation is rapid calculation by numerical methods to statistically predict the most probable result. Normally such simulation exact solution never exists and all one can do is to simulate the situation in fine intervals of time and space fitted with many other parameters both internal and external that define how the internal structure may look like. Yes, simulation is a computer program for which rules and parameters are defined by the experts. If you change the parameters, you will also see the changes in the outcome. It is like predicting weather for which rules alone are not enough and lots of parameters enters in real time.

Simulation is as perfect as the rules and set of input are to it.