Gamers decipher structure of AIDS enzyme

Sepiida

New member
Jan 25, 2010
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Didn't see this posted anywhere so I figured I'd give everyone the heads up. It's always nice to see good news and good news about the gaming community is even better. Link and quick synopsis of quotes below.

http://news.yahoo.com/online-gamers-crack-aids-enzyme-puzzle-175427367.html

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...

Figuring out the structure of proteins is vital for understanding the causes of many diseases and developing drugs to block them. This is where 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.
 

MASTACHIEFPWN

Will fight you and lose
Mar 27, 2010
2,279
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Do we get to Ion Canon them now?

OT: Take that fox news, saying we are waisting our lives! U jelly of us nao!

But in all reality, despite who it is discovered by, this is a really big step for we as humans.
 

hooksashands

New member
Apr 11, 2010
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That's like playing a level a friend has tried beating all week and completing it on the first try.
 

ToastiestZombie

Don't worry. Be happy!
Mar 21, 2011
3,691
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This news story would be much, MUCH cooler if it said that when they found the discovery still alive started playing.

Also, this is a bit od a bug bear for me but I hate it when stories like these cant adress us without using the term "gamer" or "online gamer". Guess it's just me.
 

Grogman

New member
Mar 2, 2011
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ToastiestZombie said:
This news story would be much, MUCH cooler if it said that when they found the discovery still alive started playing.

Also, this is a bit od a bug bear for me but I hate it when stories like these cant adress us without using the term "gamer" or "online gamer". Guess it's just me.
The bit that annoyed me the most was when they said "achieved a feat beyond the realm of Second Life or Dungeons and Dragons."