EteRNA
EteRNA is a game developed by scientists at Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University. Players solve puzzles related to the folding of RNA molecules and can also suggest new puzzles. The program takes advantage of human problem-solving capabilities. A better understanding of RNA design and structure prediction may facilitate the design of RNA-based nanomachines and switches.
midcore | puzzle | medicine | computer (browser)
Articles
EteRNA researchers teaching old DNA sequencers new tricks
A recent article in Nature, titled ‘The hackers teaching old DNA sequencers new tricks’, describes how EteRNA researchers are hacking old DNA sequencers to reveal RNA secrets. […] For Stanford biophysicist Rhiju Das, such RNA […]
Standford university is looking for a software developer for their game EteRNA
The Das Lab at the Stanford School of Medicine seeks a dedicated engineer to help rebuild the system behind one of the most popular citizen science games on the web, Eterna. The game enlists players […]
Gene editing technologies smarter and safer with EteRNA
Eterna just announced the launch of #opencrispr. CRISPR is a genome editing technology used for therapeutics and molecular medicine. Players will help discover principles and RNA molecules that could turn CRISPR on and off, and […]
Scientific American – on Citizen Science Games
Can You Diagnose Dementia from a Gaming App? By Bahar Gholipour on November 18, 2016 SAN DIEGO—You are guiding a ship through rough waters. On your way you may encounter magical creatures. You can snap […]
Wired, on citizen science games
Sea Hero Quest game aims to diagnose dementia by testing navigation skills By AMELIA HEATHMAN, 17 November 2016 2.4 million people have downloaded the app created by neuroscientists to help them understand dementia. Hilary Evans, […]
Eterna: Videogamers Are Recruited to Fight Tuberculosis and Other Ills
At his laboratory console, Rhiju Das is making a game of a pressing public-health problem. He is recruiting thousands of videogamers to develop a better test for tuberculosis, which infects about one-third of the world’s […]
Can An Online Game Help Create A Better Test For Tuberculosis?
Though it’s the world’s top infectious killer, tuberculosis is surprisingly tricky to diagnose. Scientists think that video gamers can help them create a better diagnostic test. An online puzzle released Monday will see whether the […]
Science and AAAS, on citizen science games
Humans best computers in atom-snatching game By Adrian Cho, Apr 13, 2016 Bring Home Water relies on people’s knack for performing tasks that involve dynamic movement. […] Jacob Sherson, the physicist at Aarhus University in […]
Publications
The latest EteRNA paper was written solely by Eterna players!
The latest EteRNA paper, describing an unexpected pattern in biology’s favorite RNA sequence, poly(A), was written solely by Eterna players! Evidence of an Unusual Poly(A) RNA Signature Detected by Highthroughput Chemical Mapping Homopolymeric adenosine RNA […]
Eterna: Principles for Predicting RNA Secondary Structure Design Difficulty
Designing RNAs that form specific secondary structures is enabling better understanding and control of living systems through RNA-guided silencing, genome editing and protein organization. Little is known, however, about which RNA secondary structures might be […]
Online citizen science games: opportunities for the biological sciences
Recent developments in digital technologies and the rise of the internet have created new opportunities for citizen science. One of these has been the development of online citizen science games where complex research problems have […]
Eterna: Scientific rigor through videogames
A growing spate of controversies, retractions, and fraud cases highlight the susceptibility of modern biology to untruths. Despite an elaborate peer review system, issues such as data manipulation, lack of reproducibility, lack of predictive tests, […]
Eterna: RNA design rules from a massive open laboratory
Self-assembling RNA molecules present compelling substrates for the rational interrogation and control of living systems. However, imperfect in silico models—even at the secondary structure level—hinder the design of new RNAs that function properly when synthesized. […]
Interviews
Adrien Treuille (EteRNA), excerpt of the interview for Forbes
Adrien Treuille, an assistant professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, creates online challenges that tap gamers to solve complex scientific problems. Players of Foldit, an Internet video game he co-developed as a biochemistry […]