How To Use Video Games To Solve Scientific Problems

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A video game to solve scientific problems — Illustrative art created by the author

When was the last time you heard someone use video games to solve scientific problems? Probably never. The cliché is that video games are for mindless entertainment. And scientific problems are for scientists to solve.

So, how can these two totally unrelated entities come together productively and practically?

Well, that’s what this essay is all about. I will begin by covering a real-life case study of how scientists actually solved a long-standing scientific problem using a video game. Following this, I will touch upon certain latest advancements in the world of video games.

Finally, I’ll propose my case for how these advanced mechanics can be leveraged to solve complex scientific problems efficiently in the future. This will be fun. Without any further ado, let us begin.

A Lesson From History — Use Video Games to Solve Scientific Problems

When I was a child, people did not see playing video games as a positive hobby. As a video game-loving child, I could not understand this stream of logic. Even though I primarily played video games for entertainment, I could see the practical utility…