Yes, this is an old(er) article. I debated putting this in misc culture, but interested in seeing what gamers thought about the article. To me, fascincating way to blend science/technology.
http://www.economist.com/science/dis...ry_id=11326188
More at the link above.
http://www.economist.com/science/dis...ry_id=11326188
More at the link above.
Quote:
| FOR sheer adrenaline, the new computer game “foldit”, does not match the likes of “Grand Theft Auto IV”. But for the world's obsessive problem solvers, a three-dimensional Tetris which allows them to help design a new life-saving vaccine seems certain to be a hit. “foldit” is the latest incarnation of a project, called Rosetta@home, that uses spare computer time, via a screensaver, to work out how proteins fold. Proteins are the building blocks of life inside cells; they are first made as long chains of molecules and work properly only after they have folded into their final shape. But understanding the rules of protein folding remains one of biology's central problems. The existing program uses trial and error, and pre-programmed mathematical rules that govern folding as understood today. But users of the screensaver told David Baker, a biochemist at the University of Washington and lead scientist on Rosetta@home, they could do better. So Dr Baker, Zoran Popovic, a computer scientist at the University of Washington, and graduate students Seth Cooper and Adrien Treuille set about creating a compelling computer game. Players use their computers to fold proteins. The more chemically stable the folded protein becomes, the more points the players are awarded. In trials of the game hundreds of players were given 40 protein puzzles to solve (for the trials, the folding solutions were already known). Many of the best players were not scientists but were able to find the correct structure faster than computers. |
