LONDON (TIP): Scientists have designed a new, super-fast form of a “magic” computer made of DNA molecules that grows as it computes and can outperform all standard systems in solving practical problems.

Researchers from University of Manchester showed the feasibility of engineering a universal turing machine (UTM) -a computer that can be programmed to compute anything any other device can process.Electronic computers are a form of UTM, but no quantum UTM has yet been built.

The theoretical properties of such a computing machine, including its exponential boost in speed over electronic and quantum computers, have been understood for many years but the breakthrough demonstrates that it is possible to physically create a UTM using DNA molecules.

“Imagine a computer is searching a maze and comes to a choice point, one path leading left, the other right.Electronic computers need to choose which path to fol low first,” said researcher Ross King. “But our new computer doesn’t need to choose, for it can replicate itself and follow both paths at the same time, thus finding the answer faster.”

“This `magical’ property is possible because the computer’s processors are made of DNA rather than silicon chips.” “As DNA molecules are very small a desktop computer could potentially utilise more processors than all the electronic computers in the world combined and therefore outperform the world’s current fastest supercomputer, while consuming a tiny fraction of its energy ,” he said.