SIMULATING WORLDS ON THE GPU

Summary from the TLDR Web Dev newsletter

This article describes a procedural earth simulation implemented entirely in GLSL fragment shaders that visualizes the complete history of an earth-like planet in just four minutes. Starting from a protoplanet, the simulation models the formation of craters, tectonic plates, and mountains, as well as hydraulic erosion and river basins. It also includes a simplified climate model, generating realistic wind circulation patterns and precipitation, and finally simulates the evolution of life on the planet.