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Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 303 Location: Canary Islands
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: Play a Computer Game (and Make Medical Discoveries)
For years, you’ve probably played computer games and helped save beautiful princesses, defeated the evil warlocks, blasted away your enemies and racked up countless points.
But how about playing a different game this time? One in which the better you get, the more chance you have to help make real medical discoveries such as a cure for HIV or advances for Alzheimer’s and vaccines?
Wouldn’t that silence all your critics who accuse you of wasting time in front of a computer?
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new free online game called Foldit which is designed to turn protein folding into a competitive sport.
These same researchers want to use the competitive spirits of gamers in the hope that there are people out there who will play the game over and over in a quest to become faster and faster and in doing so, help medical science for the better.
I know what you’re thinking. "Protein folding? Yawn! Give me a gun and a bad guy to kill!" But apparently the game is very addictive. It has been described as a "21st-century version of Tetris" and already countless volunteers have signed up.
I'm one of them. Want to join me? Come on, think of the medical research! Your inner geek is talking to you!
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO EXCESSIVE DEMAND THE FOLDIT SITE IS RUNNING VERY SLOWLY. IF YOU CAN’T GET THROUGH, TRY AGAIN LATER.
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