Approximately 6K ETH mining computers are now being deployed to research a cure for the Coronavirus

CoreWeave, a top mining startup in the U.S is leading the process and redirecting its computing capacity to Stanford University’s [email protected] venture

Other mining groups with proper graphics processing units (GPU) are being asked to contribute to the cause

On March 20, 2020, reports emerged that thousands of crypto mining platforms have been removed from Ethereum mining pools to provide computing power for a coronavirus research project.

The corporation leading the process is CoreWeave, a U.S based miner on the ETH blockchain. It will be redirecting its GPU computing power to Stanford University’s [email protected], a project launched on February 27, 2020, for advancing the research for the deadly Coronavirus.

[email protected] blog post explained:

“Our specialty is in using computer simulations to understand proteins’ moving parts. Watching how the atoms in a protein move relative to one another are important because it captures valuable information that is inaccessible by any other means.”

Some Crypto Enthusiasts Oppose the Move

CoreWeave CTO Brian Venturo explained that more than half of the computational power presently being deployed at [email protected]’s Coronavirus research venture comes from Crypto miners.

However, not everyone is happy about the move, with some crypto skeptics arguing that the complete dedication of mining power to the project is an awful waste of energy.

Loads of computers deployed to compete for completing a block of transaction work 24 hours a day consume huge amounts of electricity – a compromise for disseminating a new form of digital token.

That said, these computers may come in handy in supporting the struggle to get a cure for the Coronavirus. Graphics processing units (GPU), especially when combined as a distributed ‘supercomputer’ network, can handle repetitive calculations at rapid speeds.

Venturo believes that one of the great things about the Ethereum mining ecosystem, it’s basically the largest GPU compute resource on the planet. The computing power can be deployed to help fight a global pandemic in minutes.

NVidia Joins the Fight Against Covid-19

In related news, NVidia said on Thursday that it is now offering free 90-day licenses for Parabricks, a platform that offers GPU power and structures for research ventures.

Nvidia revealed that it would provide the license to any researcher involved in the global effort to fight the deadly Coronavirus. The company will keep reviewing the situation and could extend the licenses beyond the 90 days if needed.

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