Scientific novices solve AIDS mystery
Online gamers succeed in unraveling a puzzle that has stumped scientists for a decade
That headline grabbed my attention on Yahoo today. Okay, this bears some additional reading
Online gamers crack AIDS enzyme puzzle
Online gamers have achieved a feat beyond the realm of Second Life or Dungeons and Dragons: they have deciphered the structure of an enzyme of an AIDS-like virus that had thwarted scientists for a decade.
The exploit is published on Sunday in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, where -- exceptionally in scientific publishing -- both gamers and researchers are honoured as co-authors.
http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/online-gamers-crack-aids-enzyme-puzzle-161920724.html
Not exactly like some 300 lb 29 year old living in his parents basement that is a level 90 dwarf mage in WOW did it, which is actually a relief. Full story says that it is a "game" caled Foldit
Foldit comes in.
Developed in 2008 by the University of Washington, it is a fun-for-purpose video game in which gamers, divided into competing groups, compete to unfold chains of amino acids -- the building blocks of proteins -- using a set of online tools.
To the astonishment of the scientists, the gamers produced an accurate model of the enzyme in just three weeks.
Now other than science students and scientists, how many people do you think play Foldit ? And no Napir, that is not the same as when you play Tuckit and pretend you are a lady.
Post edited by Bigguns 93 at 9/20/2011 1:48:17 PM