New Scientist: Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle have tapped into the problem-solving abilities of computer gamers with an online game called Foldit, the results of which they published in Nature. Foldit is a multiplayer game in which players are given proteins whose amino acids they can manipulate to change the protein’s shape. So far, players working collaboratively have devised new strategies that have eluded both experts and protein analysis software. The game could have practical applications, such as the design of proteins that have a therapeutic role.
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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