EteRNA is a browser - based game developed by Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University , which attracts players to solve puzzles related to the folding of RNA molecules [1] . The project is funded by the National Science Foundation [2] .
| Eterena | |
|---|---|
| Developers | Carnegie University - Mellon , Stanford University and others. |
| Date of issue | 2010 year |
| Genre | puzzle |
| Technical details | |
| Interface language | English |
The project is similar to the Foldit game (the list of developers of these two games partially overlaps): puzzles use human abilities to solve problems in order to improve existing algorithms after analyzing user strategies. Researchers hope using crowdsourcing [3] and collective intelligence [1] to find answers to fundamental questions about RNA. In addition, the models with the highest scores are synthesized at Stanford University's biochemical laboratory; their indicators are compared with those expected on the basis of computer calculations in order to further improve computer simulation [2] [4] .
Ultimately, the researchers hope to define a “complete and repeatable set of rules” in order to allow the synthesis of RNA, which subsequently develops into the expected forms [5] . Project leaders hope that the identification of these basic principles can contribute to the development of RNA-based nanomachines and switches [6] . The creators of the project were pleasantly surprised by the decisions of users, especially non-researchers: their “creativity is not limited to how they imagine the proper form of the correct answer” [7] .
As of August 2011, about 26 thousand players have contributed and more than 306 structures have been synthesized [8] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 “RNA Game Lets Players Help Find a Biological Prize” , John Markoff, New York Times , January 10, 2011
- ↑ 1 2 “Rebooting science outreach” , Alan Chen, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , June 2011
- ↑ “RNA research EteRNA gets its game on,” Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle , January 17, 2011
- ↑ “Play a game and engineer real RNA” , John Roach, MSNBC , January 11, 2011
- ↑ “Treuille On EteRNA - A Game Played By Humans, Scored By Nature” Archived October 4, 2012. : Interview with Adrien Treuille, Byron Spice, Faculty & Staff News, Carnegie Mellon University , January 22, 2011
- ↑ About EteRNA Archived November 26, 2011.
- ↑ “Will NIH Embrace Biomedical Research Prizes?” Archived July 26, 2011. , Michael Price, ScienceInsider , Science July 19, 2011
- ↑ “The Public, Playing a Molecule-Building Game, Outperforms Scientists” , Rachel Wiseman, Wired Campus blog, The Chronicle of Higher Education , August 12, 2011