Across the world, 2020 will be remembered for one phenomenon: coronavirus.
As of writing, 100,000+ cases of the virus have been reported worldwide, resulting in the death of more than 3,800 people. High-profile events like SXSW and GDC 2020 have been canceled, pharmaceutical companies around the world are racing to develop treatments and vaccines, and helpless shoppers across the U.S. are stocking up on items like face masks, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper in preparation for further spread of COVID-19. But rather than panicking, what if there was something tangible that we could do to help aid researchers in the fight against coronavirus?
Enter Foldit – a free, crowdsourcing scientific discovery game created by researchers at the University of Washington’s Center for Game Science. And unlike other STEM games that simply teach concepts and ideas, playing Foldit actually helps contribute to important biochemistry research…including the fight against COVID-19!
A prime example of citizen science in action, Foldit has been around for nearly 12 years – but now, it’s creators are calling on citizens like you and me to participate in real scientific research by playing the game, designing proteins, and potentially helping to discover new antiviral drugs that might stop Coronavirus. Promising player solutions will be manufactured and tested at UW’s Institute for Protein Design – learn more about the science behind the game and why it matters on their official website.
Are you ready to contribute to the fight against COVID-19? To get started, visit the official Foldit website and download the game for Windows, Mac, or Linux. Then, check out the FAQ and forums for more information, and consider joining the Discord server to connect with fellow players.
Learn more about how you can help stop Coronavirus in this video from Foldit scientist Brian Koepnick, PhD: