This article was originally written by Stuart Farrimond for realdoctorstu.com
https://realdoctorstu.com/2011/02/15/earn-a-nobel-prize-in-your-lunch-break-the-best-citizen-science-games-reviewed/
It sometimes feels like we are an endangered species. Computers just keep getting smarter; not only are they immeasurably better at doing maths and playing chess than us but now they even beat us at quiz shows! In the competition between silicon chips and grey matter is there really anything that we are best at?
We needn’t worry about the Rise of the Robots just yet, because that squidgy grey blob in your skull (your brain) is still the most powerful computer in the world: It was recently calculated that just one human brain has the same computing power of all the computers in the world – combined! So while microchips are great at crunching numbers and dealing with vast amounts of data, when it comes to recognising familiar patterns, reading handwriting and solving lateral thinking puzzles – we are the kings! (and that’s true even if you didn’t go to a posh school)
If you’ve ever felt like you could be an undiscovered genius – then today’s blog is for you…
Get ready to use your grey matter to push back the boundaries of science… by playing video games! If you think you could be the next Einstein (without the hair, of course) just put down that Sudoku and take a look at these computer games. You never know, you just might help discover the cure for cancer (seriously)!
The Best in Citizen Science Games Reviewed
Getting members of the public to help out with scientific research is not new. It’s called ‘Citizen Science‘ and for over 100 years, bird watchers have been diligently contributing to the world’s longest running ‘Citizen Science’ project: North America’s annual Christmas Bird Count.
Counting butterflies or birds not your thing? Then perhaps you can remember the immensely popular screen-saver called SETI@Home? It was all the rage back in 1999; a free screen-saver that used your PC to analyse radio signals from space searching for extraterrestrial life.
Now a new way of ‘crowdsourcing’ our brain power has arrived. No longer do you need to feel guilty for playing Angry Birds, because now you can indulge your puzzle gaming passion for a good cause. By doing some online puzzles you can unwittingly do some of the problem solving that scientists don’t have the time to do. And take heart because researchers have even discovered that members of the public are just as good as professionals at solving even the most complex of problems!
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