For years, scientists have tried to come up with the crystalline structure for an enzyme that could help in investigating an AIDS-like virus in monkeys (M-PMV). In learning about M-PMV, scientists can better understand the AIDS virus in humans. With no luck on their own, scientists called in members of Foldit. Foldit is a protein folding computer game that allows players to manipulate protein structures in 3D. The gamers figured out the structure in just 3 weeks! Using their intuition and high 'gaming' skills, they were able to recognize patterns and codes that a computer alone could not. Is this the future in scientific research? It may be particularly useful for microscopic problems that involve high levels of manipulation. So if you're a video game enthusiast, you may want to think about science!
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