Folding@home Team Update

It may not look like much, but successfully folding a protein like this requires a spoon, a roll of duct tape, and two bananas.

Since the Folding@home program came to the PLAYSTATION 3, proteins are being folded like never before. The PS3's cell processor is turning out more folding juice than ever dreamed and Sony's consoles are collectively rocking cancer’s face, or at least helping enough so its face can eventually be rocked.

As the proteins fold, the DigitalMonkeyBox team has found itself with a few new teammates. They came for the patented ninjitsu laser protein strikes of fury and stayed for the glory. The first to join our team was Deadite, who came to us without warning. It was a dark Tuesday night (or maybe it was a Saturday) when we received word that a few rogue proteins were in an old English graveyard from the 1400s. We were folding a protein on the grave of a brave protein knight when Deadite arose from the sooty dirt to fold a protein sneaking up behind us. Before we could thank him he went back underground. We assume he had to fight a legion of enraged lava werewolves.  

Our second team member joined our battle. While usually incoherently bubbly to most humans, SuperHappySally can focus to get things done after some ingesting a bucket of French fry slop from McDonald’s. She came to us with one thing on her mind: to beat her ex-lover in the protein wars. She needed a good team to help her with her mission and came to us. Although, I have this nagging feeling that Sally is really a dude, or was at some point in her life. Regardless, we appreciate her assistance.

A short time later our next new team member joined the ranks. After doing some guerrilla protein folding on the hot beaches of Jamaica, the Hurriken heard of our newly formed team and swooped in to fight alongside us. Hurriken quickly displayed his protein folding prowess and gained our trust in the epic folding battles that recently took place in the Bermuda Triangle.

Since our team was established, like a deadly ninja we have been silently and steadily rising through the ranks of the 60,000+ teams currently folding. Our rank as of this update is below 3,700 and we keep moving up folding ladder. Sure, competition in protein folding may be a little pointless, but it's kind of fun and is for a good cause. If anyone else would like to join us, our team number is 55203. Thanks to all our team mates. Have a bacon-wrapped hot dog for yourselves.

- Shawn - 04/14/04