AI model simulates collapsing sand and changing proteins; MIT researchers develop system that works 100 times faster than numerical simulators

Researchers from MIT, the University of British Columbia and other institutions have developed WorldParticle, an AI model that simulates the behaviour of different materials, from collapsing sand to changing protein structures. Presented as a general-purpose simulation system, it predicts particle movement one step at a time using a single AI architecture. The model reportedly simulated protein structure changes around 100 times faster than numerical simulators, potentially opening new possibilities for scientific research and discovery.