Why Adding a Full Hard Drive Can Make a Computer More Powerful
Briefly

Research on catalytic computing by Buhrman and Cleve revealed that modifying memory can enhance computational processes significantly. This surprising discovery led to the team expanding their findings to various problems and formally introducing the concept, likening it to chemical reactions. Although subsequent researchers didn't initially apply these techniques to tree evaluation problems, one individual, James Cook, sought to adapt them for this purpose due to his personal connection to the topic. His efforts showcase the ongoing relevance and evolution of the field of computational theory.
The findings revealed unexpected potential in memory use, inspiring further exploration in computational techniques, demonstrating that innovative thinking can unlock new possibilities.
For that problem, the remaining open question was whether a small amount of memory could be used for storage and computation simultaneously.
Read at WIRED
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