Supercomputers are basically a series of "normal" computers that have been slapped together with sophisticated software and high speed connections. This means that the Supercomputer can attack one problem with the technological equivalent of a bum rush. Currently the two fastest supercomputers in the world are capable of performing one petaflop of calculations per second. That's pretty fast but IBM has decided to cut the bullshit and build a new supercomputer named Sequoia that will be capable of performing 20 petaflops of instructions per second. That will make it as fast as the next 500 supercomputers....combined.
Twenty Quadrillion instructions per second is a number that not even the current US defecit can put into perspective. IBM offers this quote as a way to wrap your head around that number.
"If each of the 6.7 billion people on earth had a hand calculator and worked together on a calculation 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, it would take 320 years to do what Sequoia will do in one hour. "
Sweeet!
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