... by running a simulation. But instead of a supercomputer, they used a batch of Sony PlayStation 3 gaming consoles wired together.
While the PS3 Gravity Grid may not be useful for all types of research, for those requiring little RAM but massive computations it can prove a cost-cutting tool, said Khanna, who built a smaller cluster before stringing together the 16-machine grid.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28895353