The Science Creative Quarterly
From archive
FLORIGEN: THE HIDDEN HORMONE
Introduction It’s a mysterious substance with a mysterious past: intrigue and imprisonment followed the first suggestion of its existence, and a lifetime of labour could not discover its identity. Mikhail Khristoforovich Chailakhyan, a biologist in the USSR during Stalin’s reign, argued in 1936 that there must be a hormone – called florigen – that causes plants to produce flowers. Florigen, and the evidence for its existence that Chailakhyan amassed, was an exciting contribution to the era’s understanding of plant development and attracted considerable scientific attention. What is surprising is that florigen was also a politically radical notion. Chailakhyan’s idea was…
BIODRIVE LEAK
A biodrive hides under a tattoo on my thigh, with enough memory to store data from neuroscience experiments I transport, airgapped. Covert pharmaceutical labs develop nootropics for troops and VIPs, cognitive enhancements and novel treatments for neurodiversities. Post-doc double agents steal data for competing labs, and rendezvous with me to transfer it to my wetware. Sometimes I toy with them. Today’s transfer is at a hackerspace. I try not to attract attention to the biodrive. They’d all want to gawk at the latest tech. The neuroscientist is late, I have to pretend to care about a demo, and when she…
MY NEUROTIC PATIENCE
“I started my professional activity as a neurologist trying to bring relief to my neurotic patients…”—Sigmund Freud in his only known audio recording – – – My neurotic patience bids me dance by candlelight waiting for answers that come in time. Its quiet causes fright in the noisier set—day-planning superego, demanding id, the rest. To bring relief to my neurotic patience, I smell no end of flowers, and pick none. I wander through fields of impatiens, worrying only about the wind and sun.
THE JAR
This is a collaborative poem written by Grade 5 and 6 students on the contents of a “jar.” This jar was a prop that was used to discuss poetry and science, as well as segue into a DIY cloud chamber activity for detection of sub atomic particles. – – – I am SAD inside but HAPPY outside. Please tell me ME. What am I? … I think I am an empty jar. The jar is full of cold air. The jar is full of cold SAD air. What’s in the jar? In the jar, there is air. In the jar,…
WHAT IS IN THE JAR?
This is a collaborative poem written by Grade 4 and 5 students on the contents of a “jar.” This jar was a prop that was used to discuss poetry and science, as well as segue into a DIY cloud chamber activity for detection of sub atomic particles. – – – There is gravity in this jar. There is humanity in this jar. There is insanity in this jar. Could it be a very good dream about your favourite thing? Could it be a miniature goat riding a minecraft boat? There’s a book in the jar. Could it be Minecraft Diamond…
WZRD1 GENE, A POSSIBLE MARKER FOR SQUIBIDITY DISORDER IN HOMO SAPIENS
Annals of Praetachoral Mechanics (2016). Vol 2. Advanced online publication. download pdf ABSTRACT From the limited number of studies previously done on Squibidity, there is great potential for advancements that would further our understanding of this disorder, and which would benefit both magical and non-magical people. Squibidity, is one of the most mysterious conditions to affect the Wizarding world. It is estimated that approximately 1 out of every 1200 individuals, who are born into a Wizarding family, are affected. The severity of this condition varies, but most individuals with this phenotype lack the ability to perform magic of any kind,…
HOW TO FART IN FRONT OF YOUR BOYFRIEND
i. hide your farts all over the house. under couch cushions, inside desk drawers. between bank statements, and behind the tv. he will find one eventually. ii. let them get acquainted without your presence. if you casually leave them in a room together it will give them an opportunity to familiarize themselves without relying on you to constantly accommodate them both. iii. go outside. pretend you smoke so you have an excuse to go outside a lot. iv. tell him you are made of sugar. your insides are peppermints and jujubes. your intestines are lined with fruit-roll-ups and liquorice. your…
WHAT IS IN THE JAR?
This is a collaborative poem written by Grade 5 and 6 students on the contents of a “jar.” This jar was a prop that was used to discuss poetry and science, as well as segue into a DIY cloud chamber activity for detection of sub atomic particles. – – – I think hockey pucks are moving in the jar. I think there is moving stuff* in the jar! (*germs, ebola, chemicals) I think there is air in the jar. I think the jar has the WORLD CUP! I think creativity is in the jar. The taste of pizza is in…