Crowd-Sourcing A Cure For Cancer Through The Internet

It is only natural that someone with a cancer diagnosis would turn to the web for help, even though the results are likely to terrify and reassure in equal measure. But on getting his diagnosis, Italian robotic engineer and open-source artist Salvatore Iaconesi took things one step further. "I did what I know best and asked for my medical records so that I could share them with as many people as possible and get as many opinions as I can," he said.

It was a brave decision and one that has touched a nerve. The site he set up - Open Source Cure - has attracted 200,000 responses since it was launched a month ago. On the website, he invites people to help him find a cure, and he is not just talking about a medical one. "Grab the information about my disease if you want and give me a cure, create a video, an artwork, a map, a text, a poem, a game, or try to find a solution for my health problem," he wrote...