What's the first thing that comes to your mind when it comes to video/computer games or gamers? I was curious so I did a poll at work. The answers were, in no particular order: Dungeons & Dragons, Teenagers, Atari, and Mario Brothers.
Hua? Doesn't it seem odd to you that Molecular Biochemical research didn't come up?
Apparently a research group at the University of Washington was having some trouble coming up with the 3D structure for an enzyme that they were studying (for the full article, click on this link). They decided to turn it into a video game on the web and let the gamers at it. It took them less than ten days to find the lowest energy (aka the optimal) structure.
I guess mom isn't always right. Clearly video/computer games were not a waste of time for these guys.
