Students and professors at the University of Hull have altered the game Minecrafter so that it teaches players the basics of biochemistry, the Guardian reports.
With puzzles and quizzes, MolCraft introduces students to protein structures and chemicals, the paper adds. At the Conversation, MolCraft developers Mark Lorch and Joel Mills, both from Hull, add that students can further explore these structures.
"MolCraft is a world where the majestic helices of myoglobin rise above you. Where you can explore this massive molecule and its iron center that carries oxygen around your muscles," they write. "Or, if you prefer you can fly down a pore through which water molecules normally flow across cell membranes."
The game, they add, can be freely downloaded and can be incorporated into lesson plans. They also note that they are developing Minecraft-styled projects to enable students to explore medieval villages and reconstruct the architecture of Hull.