(In honour of a new science scout badge) The “I’m a marine biologist and, to be honest, I kind of hate dolphins” badge. – – – So you want to be a marine biologist? Well sonny, or sonnette, as the case may be, why don’t you just sit down and let a real marine biologist give you some damn good advice. And wipe that smirk off your face, sit up straight and for goodness sakes stop fidgeting! You’d think you had lice the way you are carrying on. You do? Oh well, never mind. First of all there are three…
The Science Creative Quarterly
From September, 2007
PEAS IN SPACE
Inspired by space travel and Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees” I think that I shall never see A thing as lovely as a pea A pea whose shell is green and bright Having withstood the years of flight A pea without flavor dried away Despite sitting in the cargo bay A pea that’s sturdy, firm and round In which some vit’mins are still found Piled en masse on my plate Having cleared the take-off weight Such dreams from only fools like me Why can’t NASA make a pea?
OLD FOE, NEW FRIEND: TB PREVENTION AND THE ADVENT OF DNA VACCINES
“Ay, thou art for the grave; thy glances shine Too brightly to shine long; another Spring Shall deck her for men’s eyes—but not for thine— Sealed in a sleep which knows no wakening. The fields for thee have no medicinal leaf, And the vexed ore no mineral of power; And they who love thee wait in anxious grief Till the slow plague shall bring the final hour…” From Consumption by William Cullen Bryant – – – Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease of global concern, and one of the oldest enemies of the human race: the records of its presence date…
INTELLIGENT DESIGN: DAWKIN’S BASSET HOUND?
The ID debate is getting pretty trite. The only thing keeping it interesting to me is the incredible lengths that both sides will go to get their points across. Whether it’s sending free, lavish copies of an anti-evolution book to every evolutionary scientist in the western world (Harun Yahya) or inventing a the label of “bright” for you and your enlightened, like-minded friends (Richard Dawkins), the intensity of the fighting seems to be escalating. The media, our supposed source for clear thought, is acting more like a bookie at a boxing match: whoever wins, the real winner is the house.…
THE ROLE OF GENETIC DIALOGS IN THE SOPRANOS IN SIX PARTS – PART III: DIALOGS 3-7
previous | next Abstract In this series, twenty one dialogs that reference genetics from the six seasons of the HBO television series The Sopranos are cited and discussed, in chronological order, from the perspective of a fan who is a geneticist. The context of each citation with respect to the plot and characters will be the main focus of discussion. – – – Dialog Three (Season I, Episode 7: Down Neck). Tony is discussing Anthony Jr.’s behavior and evaluation for A.D.D. with his psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi. “You Are What You Are” Tony: “My son is doomed, right?” Dr. Melfi: “Why…
THE ROLE OF GENETIC DIALOGS IN THE SOPRANOS IN SIX PARTS – PART III: DIALOGS 3-7
previous | next Abstract In this series, twenty one dialogs that reference genetics from the six seasons of the HBO television series The Sopranos are cited and discussed, in chronological order, from the perspective of a fan who is a geneticist. The context of each citation with respect to the plot and characters will be the main focus of discussion. – – – Dialog Three (Season I, Episode 7: Down Neck). Tony is discussing Anthony Jr.’s behavior and evaluation for A.D.D. with his psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi. “You Are What You Are” Tony: “My son is doomed, right?” Dr. Melfi: “Why…
EYES WIDE OPEN: DISPELLING MYTHS AND UNCOVERING TRUTHS BEHIND CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION
World’s favourite drug Well known for its effects on reducing tiredness and improving alertness, caffeine has emerged in the 21st century as the most popular psychoactive drug in the world. In this day and age, caffeine can be found in a variety of food products including coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolates and others. Furthermore, since the isolation of caffeine from coffee beans in 1820, the therapeutic use of caffeine both as an additive to other drugs or as a stand alone tablet has gained attractiveness in various pharmacological applications. In North America, the most common source of caffeine…
METRICS: THE RICHTER SCALE
Measures: Earthquake magnitude. This is a logarithmic scale, plotting greatest displacement from 0 on seismometer after event occurs. Range: 0 to 10+ Reference measurements: 0 – 3.4 This is normal. The first step in assessing earthquake severity is determining whether other people are noticing the Earth move as well. If only you seem to be experiencing the Earth moving, you are likely drunk or having an orgasm or both. 3.5 Not usually felt, but will be recorded. Earthquakes of this magnitude are often the result of office horseplay occurring too close to the seismometer (“Dude – careful!”). 3.6 – 4.5…
KILLER ‘PILLAR
all was good in my baton rouge apartment. my backback had been loaded with all of the necessary books required for a night full of studying molecular cell biology. a feeling of virtue coarsed through my blackened veins. as i slung my bag ’round my shoulders and locked up the apt, i felt a severe burning sensation on my forearm. i looked at it and saw nothing, gave it the ole scratch n go, and went to my car. as i was driving, the sensation became a white hot shot of pain…i looked at it again, and it had ballooned…