Proteins spend a large portion;– nearly 96% in some cases<ref name="10.1016/j.sbi.2011.12.001"/> – of their [[protein folding|folding]] time "waiting" in various [[thermodynamic free energy]] minimasminima. Consequently, a straightforward simulation of this process would spend a great deal of computation to this state, with the transitions between the states – the aspects of protein folding of greater scientific interest – taking place only rarely.<ref name="Simulation FAQ"/> Adaptive sampling exploits this property to simulate the protein's [[phase space]] in between these states. Using adaptive sampling, molecular simulations that previously would have taken decades can be performed in a matter of weeks.<ref name="10.1016/j.sbi.2010.10.006"/>
