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The flash game "CellCraft" places players into the micro-scale world of cells. Viruses attack you as you gather resources to make proteins in real time for defense and upkeep. An exciting new way of teaching cell science!

Monday, May 24, 2010

What is cellcraft?

Some of you might be wondering exactly what CellCraft is. Allow me to enlighten you. CellCraft is a way of brining the content of a biology text book alive for students to see themselves. CellCraft is a flash game, but it's also more than that. It's a way to see what we as humans will never see. Cells are so small, that the average size of one is 10 micrometers. That means we are 1e^6 times bigger (100000 times bigger). Though we can see cells through a microscope, it is difficult to see the world inside. Cells are a world bursting with life, with molecules constantly fighting their way through bombardments of water, neutralizing free radicals, recycling old organelles and making new ones, gathering the immense amount of fuel needed to provide energy, and fighting off threats. CellCraft is a game that allows students to not only watch this amazing world, but live it. Placing the player in control of what the cell does allows him or her to direct the development of the cell as they see fit. Hopefully, the cell will flourish :) CellCraft is not just a game, it's a scientifically accurate game. Want to make an enzyme? OK, first you must gather all of the molecules necessary to make it, produce mRNA, send it to the ribosome, move the ribosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum and then the protein is produced. All of this unfolds on screen, for the student to see. Tutorial windows explain all of these processes, and carefully written encyclopedia articles are present for every molecule in the game. CellCraft is a game, but it's also a great tool. It teaches and explains in ways that textbooks simply can't, and excites interest in the wonderful world of science!

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