FR Folding@Home Project Update - More About Protein Folding (20,000,000 Points!)

Stanford University Folding@Home Distributed Computing Project ^ | 02/25/2007 | Texas Booster

[Izzy Dunne]

If we're simulating protein folding

Protein folding?

Particles?

Trajectory?

WTF?

I thought my computer was working on folding paper for a better airplane for the pro team.

Never mind.

[texas booster]

I will start updating older threads again. systematic used to do that for us, and I kinda got lazy ...

[texas booster]

Actually it is amazing how great are the variations on what folks think that F@H really is. I get asked all kinds of questions but most of them are pretty good.

For those that like to understand the science behind F@H will be thrilled to know that there is real science behind it.

I remember how often that Greenies thought that we could completely model nuclear weapons via computer simulations, and that there would never be a need for testing. Pulling back the covers on a complex project like F@H shows how difficult it really is to simulate ANY complex system, be it nuclear weapons or cellular biology.

One nanosecond of protein folding can take years of computing resources. That is for a single protein, simulating a single interaction, and with major allowances for water modeling on the molecule.

[HKMk23]

I remember how often that Greenies thought that we could completely model nuclear weapons via computer simulations, and that there would never be a need for testing.

Any first-year physics student could successfully model the particle system of the brain of your average Greenie, though. It's just one, single particle -- unique in the world of quantum physics -- called a "moron".

It has no spin; the rest of the universe revolves around it.
It has an infinitely negative charge.
It oscillates between two excitation states: shrill, and outraged.
It repels all other known matter, but demonstrates the capability to make spectacular quantum leaps that allow it to escape the cranial cavity of its host. In this condition, we describe the host as having "lost it".

But, seriously, thanks for the in-depth post. I was always a quick study with the conceptual aspects; it was the hairy math that kept me up nights.

[texas booster]

Have you established a FReeper team for UD? Do they even allow teams?

Not much experience with UD except that they are a commercial org. I stayed with F@H after folding the Genome@Home project for several years.

[andyk]

Finally broke into the top 1,000 folders. Number 999. Hooah!

[HKMk23]

Top 1,000 of ALL?

VERY nicely done. KUDOS!

I'll be happy to break into the Top 75 on just OUR team during the coming week; my overall user rank is still in the low 31,000's.

[texas booster]

Thanks for joining the team!

rocky, your first points have showed up here:

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/user_summary.php?s=&u=209768

papasmurf, GL_jen has signed up from the Great Loads forum. Thanks for publicizing us over there!

[papasmurf]

A few more, as well, that neglected to use the "GL" id. I'll let you know names as soon as I get the list complete.

But, it's all about folding anyway, right?

Thanks for the shout out!

:O)

P

[texas booster]

New thread is over here

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1794738/posts