Borderlands 3 now lets you solve puzzles to sort poop and assist real-world science Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Borderlands 3 now lets you solve puzzles to sort poop and assist real-world science Solve puzzles, sequence butt microbes! News by Matt Wales Reporter Updated on 8 Apr 2020 4 comments If you've ever want to contribute to the betterment of mankind, but also sort of just wanted to play video games instead, Gearbox has the perfect compromise, courtesy of its new Borderlands Science initiative - which, long story short, lets you organise corrupted poop data in order to assist the scientific community. Borderlands Science might have lofty goals, but it takes the form of a jaunty little puzzle game that can now be accessed from a new arcade machine aboard Borderlands 3's Sanctuary III. The simple aim of the game is to sort coloured tiles into ordered lines, which probably doesn't sound all that science-y on the face of it. However, the key to all of this is what's going on beneath Borderlands 3's colourful block-shifting facade. In reality, each block puzzle is based on strands of microbe DNA, and solving puzzles will ultimate help scientists identify different microbes found without the human body. Watch on YouTube As outlined in the illuminating introductory video above, scientists have already sequenced millions of strands of microbe DNA from tens of thousands of human poop samples, but in order to be useful the data needs to be properly organised. Computers have already started this task, but the ambiguity inherent in similar microbes' DNA means that errors inevitably arise - which could impact analysis further down the line. So while the puzzle game you're playing in Borderlands 3 might appear to be just that, behind the scenes you're actually helping to identify the errors in the computer analysis, and assist scientists across the globe in building a better algorithm for the future. Science! Gearbox says the results generated through Borderlands Science will be open and accessible to the entire scientific community, with the goal being to accurately map all the microbes found inside humans. These are linked to a whole range of conditions - including diabetes, depression, autism, anxiety, and obesity - and so their identification could potentially help develop novel treatments and interventions. And if that's not enough incentive to get stuck into Borderlands Science, working through puzzles will also reward players with in-game currency, which can be used to purchase unique Vault Hunter Heads and Skins, plus timed boosters that buff stats, loot quality, and experience in Borderlands 3 proper. More information on the Borderlands Science initiative - which has been developed in conjunction with McGill University, Massively Multiplayer Online Science, and The Microsetta Initiative - can be found on Gearbox's website. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store