NONSCIENTISTS DOING BIOCHEMISTRY—THE VIDEO GAME.

NONSCIENTISTS DOING BIOCHEMISTRY—THE VIDEO GAME. This Economist article describes a videogame, with 57,000 registered users, in which players score points by finding chemically stable configurations for chains of protein molecules. The game is called “Foldit.” The science behind the game is described here. Some excerpts: “Every protein consists of a long chain of joined-together amino acids….. Every kind of protein folds up into a very specific shape….[The shape] specifies the function of the protein.” The game was designed by scientists to further research into proteins, and it has done so. People can do in some respects as well as the best best current algorithm. They are especially good at what the Economist characterizes as “problems requiring extensive remodeling.” The game has resulted in new strategies for future use. If you would like to play Foldit and possibly do valuable scientific research, the website is here.