Ever wanted to try your hand at biomedical research but lacked the laboratory? The European Commission on Research & Innovation wants to help. Earlier this week they launched a new browser-based game called Power of Research. According to the press release:
In "Power of Research" players can engage in "virtual" health research projects, by performing microscopy, protein isolation and DNA experiments, publishing research results, participating in conferences, managing high tech equipment and staff or request funding - all tasks of real researchers. The decisive game elements are communication, collaboration and competition: players can compete against each other in real time or collaborate to become a successful virtual researcher, win scientific awards or become the leader of a research institute.
The goal of the game is to attract young people to a career in science - its creators hope to attract a community of 100,000 such players. And, if you're wondering what Power of Ideas looks like, a screenshot of my new London-based infectious disease lab is above.
