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This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber. This will just take a minute.

Scientists can now include online gaming in their problem-solving arsenal¹. Because game players seem to have provided an answer to a scientific question that's vexed² researchers for a decade.

Scientists wanted to know the structure of a protein-cutting enzyme³ produced by a retrovirus similar to HIV. They haven't been able to solve the protein structure using standard computational methods.

Now, the game—researchers developed Foldit in 2008. Teams of players fold molecules⁴ and rotate amino acids to create 3-D protein structures. Gamers get points for structure stability.

So researchers asked gamers to try to solve this particular protein. Within three weeks, the gamers found a good solution. The scientists then refined it and were able to completely determine the protein's structure. Having the structure could inform the use of drugs to block the enzyme, and provide another tool against retroviruses, including HIV.

The researchers say that people have better spatial⁵ reasoning skills than computers—and that having both humans and machines attack the problem might overcome various structural⁶ challenges. The results appear in the journal Nature Structural and Molecular⁷ Biology.Co-authored by researchers—and a number of gamers.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm Cynthia Graber.

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收听单词发音

1 arsenal
n.兵工厂，军械库
参考例句：
Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。 We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

2 vexed
adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论
参考例句：
The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。 He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 enzyme
n.酵素，酶
参考例句：
Above a certain temperature,the enzyme molecule will become unfolded.超过一定温度，酶分子将会展开。 An enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots.能溶解血凝块中的纤维的酶。

4 molecules
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。 Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

5 spatial
adj.空间的，占据空间的
参考例句：
This part of brain judges the spatial relationship between objects.大脑的这部分判断物体间的空间关系。 They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。

6 structural
adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的
参考例句：
The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。 The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

7 molecular
adj.分子的；克分子的
参考例句：
The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。