Science and Videogames: From Scientific Dissemination to Knowledge Production

Videogames are played by 42% of the global population. As an interactive medium, they require participants to engage actively in the constant construction of knowledge. Their relevance to human biology has been increasing and expanding, ranging from scientific dissemination to knowledge production. This article examines each of the videogames' possible scientific uses, including "commercial" games used for teaching and scientific dissemination, games created by scientists for science dissemination and science education, online games that enable players to help solve scientific problems, and citizen science platforms such as Foldit. The example of Demis Hassabis, whose achievements in using AI to predict and design the structure of proteins earned him a Noble Prize in Chemistry, started his research on AI when he was a game designer. This further demonstrates how videogames can contribute to scientific innovation. Together, these examples show that videogames can be powerful tools for both scientific dissemination and knowledge production.