Several years ago I found a site called United Devices. They ask you to volunteer your PC to help process molecular research being conducted by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford in England and the National Foundation for Cancer Research. To participate, you simply download a very small, no cost, non-invasive software program that works like a screensaver: it runs when your computer isn't being used, and processes research until you need your machine. Your computer never leaves your desk, and the project never interrupts your usual PC use.
There is no cost to participate and no impact on your computer use. The project software cannot detect or transfer anything on your machine but project-specific information. It just allows your computer to screen molecules that may be developed into drugs to fight cancer. Each individual computer analyzes a few molecules and then sends the results back over the Internet for further research. This project is anticipated to be the largest computational chemistry project ever undertaken and represents a genuine hope to find a better way to fight cancer.
You can download the agent here and read the FAQ here.
If you do decide to join, I have created a team called Blogging For a Cure. Please sign up for the team after you join. If you dedcide to become a team member your username at UD (so I can tell who you are) and site info and I'll add you to the blogroll.
This is an easy, free way to help fight cancer, so please add your computer's resources to the project.
Bloggers Participating: