PS3 Owners To Simulate Gene Folding

Posted by Zonk on Thursday March 15, 2007 @05:20AM from the so-far-we-have-not-found-the-science dept.

fistfullast33l writes "According to IGN UK, the next version of Playstation firmware will include a joint venture from Stanford University and Sony called Folding@Home. Similar to the infamous SETI@Home project, Folding@Home will be an idle application that participates in a simulation that 'aims to map the way that genes change shape (or fold), so they can be studied by scientists and, potentially, cure illnesses such as Parkinson's or a variety of cancers.' The application will download a 'work unit' that it will unravel to completion, update Stanford's servers, and then download the next unit and continue." We've previously discussed the client; it will be available as an update at the end of the month, and should appear on your cross-media bar once installed.

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Re:Tis a shame... by Seumas · 2007-03-15 06:21 · Score: 3, Insightful

So let me get this straight. I pay the energy bill for cycles used to crunch genetic mapping data that will be used by corporations to develop drugs for lifelong treatment (like they'd develop a cure when they could profit more from treatment?) so that when I'm sick, I can pay a few thousand dollars a month to afford the pills?

Just because the project is managed from a university doesn't mean the project, its goals and it's results are altruistic.