Using a “computer-like” system made of engineered DNA, scientists calculated the square root of 900.
Editor’s note: This article is from WeChat public account “ 新 智 元 ” (ID: AI_era), Source: Gizmodo, Edit: Daming
Recently, the China-US Joint Photonics Laboratory team at the Changchun Institute of Photonics, Chinese Academy of Sciences has created a “DNA computer”, which uses the presence or absence of a DNA strand to represent a binary number of 0 or 1. Using the same logic of an electronic computer, 900 Square root. Take a solid step towards the birth of the “DNA computer” replacing silicon-based computers.
In fact, as early as 1994, biologists proposed the use of genetic material for calculations. Since then, scientists have found ways to store and manipulate bits of information in DNA, in a manner and logic similar to electronic computers.
However, a recent paper published in Wiley’s well-known material journal Small said that it was difficult to integrate this logic into circuits that can perform difficult mathematical operations. The researchers believe that their platform is a step towards computers that can replace silicon’s DNA.
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Guo Chunlei, director of the Sino-US Joint Photonics Laboratory at the Changchun Institute of Optics and Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor of the University of Rochester, said corresponding author Guo Chunlei said: “At present, DNA computing is still in its infancy, but it is expected to solve the current silicon-based computers that are difficult to solve. Problems that ca n’t even be solved. “
The DNA computer they created is basically a vial of customized DNA strands, which are used to connect with more customized DNA strands as input, and then use up to five different wavelengths of light for light control according to the existing DNA strands.
Use the presence or absence of a DNA strand to represent binary “1” and “0”
The computer we usually use represents bits as the presence of voltage in a transistor, and the DNA computer system represents each unique bit as the presence or absence of a complete corresponding DNA strand.
This means that to calculate the square root of 1, just put