Say what you like about video game culture and the internet, but don’t say we can’t gang together and do incredible things. When Scientists from the University of Washington were close to giving up on a ten year old puzzle that may hold part of the key to curing AIDS, their last resort was video games and the gamers who play them.
The problem is a deeply scientific one, which I am far from qualified to explain, but I’ll do my best to summarise. The issue was with the M-PMV — a retroviral protein with an extremely complicated structure. Because of its structure there are millions upon millions of multiple ways in which it could possibly fold, making it extremely difficult to find its chemical key and, hence, its precise structure.
The solution came when the scientists sent a virtual 3D model of the protein to Foldit an online game which ‘solves puzzles for science’. Foldit is a game where players help scientists with one of the major issues that come with studying proteins: the way in which they fold. Playing the game doesn’t require a scientific background, just spatial awareness.
Foldit is a game that allows its players to collaborate and after 10 days working on the protein in the context of the game, Foldit players had solved a problem scientists had been trying to work out for 10 years. In that short time period players had discovered the optimum way in which to fold the protein, meaning scientists are now aware of the most efficient way to maintain it. They have a better understanding of the enzyme and, consequently, have a better idea of how to attack it.
To be perfectly honest, I have a minimal understanding of how this whole thing works, or even what it means in terms of finding a cure for AIDS, but it seems like great news regardless! The Scientists at the University of Washington are heralding it as a major breakthrough — a breakthrough that wouldn’t have been possible with a video game and the people who play them.
Gamers solve decade old HIV puzzle in ten days [ZME Science]
UPDATE: I’ve been quietly informed that this story is actually quite old! But I’ve decided to keep it on the site because it’s interesting and people are already talking about it! My apologies.
Comments
10 responses to “Gamers Help Solve A Ten Year HIV Puzzle In Ten Days”
Holy hell, if that screenshot is a beginner puzzle I never want to see the advance ones. Foldit seems like a really interesting way to help the science community though and I’ve never heard of it till now and wish I was able to contribute. Unfortunately my spatial awareness is horrible unless It’s to do with tetris.
Gamers of the World unite!!!!
“To be perfectly honest, I have a minimal understanding of how this whole thing works, or even what it means in terms of finding a cure for AIDS, but it seems like great news regardless!”
LOL 100% dude. Hooray!….what?
I DONT KNOW WHAT WE ARE CELEBRATING BUT I LIKE IT
And as a bonus for solving this mystery, the game unlocks the mode where you fold hookers and other pedestrians under your car for extra points.
Sounds good, but wouldn’t a science team be able to write a small program or even a script for some already existing programs that just goes through and folds the thing in every possible way, and then reports the most effective folding method found? That’s how I always imagined science was done anyway.
Who cares about that, someone who played a game once 15 years ago (or maybe just looked at a games shop in passing on the street) just went on a murderous rampage (probably). Let’s ban all games as no use can come from them, now go outside and get a life everyone
sarcasmI love this though how gamers are a community and we are capable of a fair bit when we get behind a cause. This makes sense though because as a group we’ve basically been brought up to solve problems and see things that you wouldn’t normally see. Hopefully the science community has involved us more since then and will continue to in the future (maybe not the CoD community)
When are we going to get over being shafted by shit publishers and bad developers releasing buggy, halfarsed products?
As Jesse would say “yeah – science!”
Yeah, I thought this story sounded familiar 😛 But still very cool.
Though I had nothing to do with this….as a dedicated gamer I just want to say your welcome and i am happy to help solve all the worlds problems.
No where is the media covering this story? Gamers helping solve world issues! Nah…they just wait for the next crazy yank to shoot someone and have an xbox.
Maybe because this information is at least 2 years old. This was reposted from an article dated Sep. 10, 2011. George Takei, and Im sure several other well renowned individuals, have shared the article in the last day or two, causing the topic to resurface. In the original article, or what I assume is the “original,” they mention comments to MSNBC but the link is dead.
I found the NBC article, after a bit of searching, dated Sep 18, 2011.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/gamers-solve-molecular-puzzle-baffled-scientists-6C10402813
It’s a shame all of those who helped solve that puzzle are destined to gun down innocent people.
As we all are. =(