The search for a truly revolutionary engine design that can make dramatic gains in efficiency requires deep scientific understanding and tools. Lots and lots of tools.

In the past, tools were needed to make prototypes, requiring repeated testing and retrofitting along with a healthy dose of engineering intuition to determine which ideas held the most promise. In the future, however, the most important tool for designing engines may well be computers, specifically supercomputers that can virtually test and evaluate thousands of designs simultaneously, weeding out the less promising and preserving only those with the most potential, thereby greatly reducing development costs.

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