By turning their problem into a game, the scientists have harnessed thousands of human brains without specialist knowledge to work on protein-folding, says Adrien Treuille, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University who helped to develop the program.

ECONOMIST: What video-game technology can do in the real world

At first, there might not seem to be much of a cross-over between protein folding and, say, running a web server or a database.

ECONOMIST: REPORT: COMPUTING: Big Blue��s big bet | The

In just three weeks this fall, thousands of people playing the free downloadable game helped map the structure of an enzyme that could fight HIV and AIDS. Scientists at the University of Washington created Fold-it to turn research about protein folding into a game, dishing up puzzles made up of spirals and clumps that represent amino acids.

FORBES: Let's Play! Turning Serious Business Issues Into Games