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2013-02-28 16:44:35 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Feb 2013 lab picture :)

2012-04-23 03:42:24 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

More Texas Flowers :)

2012-04-23 03:37:12 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

2012-04-23 03:36:46 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

2012-04-23 03:34:29 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

2012-04-23 03:33:31 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

Plant Photos

2012-03-23 19:31:23 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

AllExperts Friday: Yes, Virginia, there's a 50% chance of blue eyes in your future...

I get variants on this question at least once a week in the genetics category. I'm slowly building a generic form letter as an answer. I'd appreciate feedback from my science readers on clarity and if I've said outright wrong things.

_Questioner: Expectant Mother
Subject: What will our baby look like?

Question (This week)

Hello!
My husband and I are goofing off with our family members and guessing what our lovely little baby girl will look like when she is born. Both husband and myself have light skin. I have hazel green eyes, and hubby has blue. I have light to medium brown hair with an auburn undertone. Hubby has blonde hair, with red(almost orange) facial hair. His mom is a natural red head, and his dad has black hair. My mother has red hair,... more »

2012-03-14 21:52:42 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Why I'm pro-choice. "We (humans) have the right to make our own choices about our bodies." http://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2012/03/12/okay-but-really-this-contraception-thing-is-silly/

2012-03-13 20:21:09 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Stop playing World of Warcraft and do something useful for a change! Did your mother just tell you that? You could go outside and enjoy the nice weather or you could continue to play a computer game but help scientists at the same time. Play Phylo and and align some human DNA sequences to mouse and the fruit fly. Don't do this if you are a Creationist as your head may explode.

2012-03-12 20:26:31 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

If you're in the US, please consider signing this petition to increase the NIH's yearly budget! Thank you!
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/#!/petition/increase-nih-budget-33-billion-dollars-next-fiscal-year-flat-307-billion-will-kill-jobs-and-hurt/2q2m6Rdc

2012-03-06 16:38:14 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

In my work I investigate collagen cleavage via zinc-scissor enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases... http://survivingtheworld.net/Lesson1344.html

2012-03-05 18:59:27 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

I'm inordinately fascinated by spider silk.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21540-spider-silk-spun-into-violin-strings.html

2012-02-28 21:26:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Hallelujah for open access. http://chronicle.com/article/Legislation-to-Bar/130949

2012-02-17 16:18:58 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

My Notes Page on Designing Great Technical Presentations. :)

2012-02-17 15:44:57 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

If you have scientific teaching/presentation horror stories, I'd love to hear them! #BuildingBetterPresentationsRUS #goodsciencetalksrule

2012-02-17 15:39:25 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Gave my presentation on "Creating Great Technical Presentations" today for the Dental School Grand Rounds. It went well and I got good feedback. Ahh. TGIF.

2012-02-08 16:52:07 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Signal boost for a good friend: https://twitter.com/#!/Nightskyre/status/167286204792967172

2012-02-08 15:27:27 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

Cool article on flow and expertise! AKA: Honey, can we go home for dinner now?
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328501.600-zap-your-brain-into-the-zone-fast-track-to-pure-focus.html?page=1

2012-02-07 22:36:02 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

2012-02-07 22:15:23 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

This series looks fun! http://web.ncsu.edu/abstract/science/the-science-of-a-good-pour/

2012-02-07 20:38:14 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

END THE RECIPE HIATUS: My Best Hot Lunch Recipe Of Today

White Beans In Chicken Stock
Ingredients
1 lb/450g dried white beans, black beans, or black-eyed peas
Salt
Peppercorns
Epazote (optional)
1 carrot, washed, ends cut off
1 celery stalk, washed
1 medium onion, ends cut off, sliced in half
1 chicken carcass (or 1-2lb meaty animal bones.)
4-6 peeled and smashed garlic cloves, or to taste
1 or more bunches fresh kale or mustard greens

1. Rinse beans off in the colander. Inspect for (and discard any) rocks. Pour beans into a large pot that has a lid, ideally a 3-5 qt (3-6L) stockpot. Put at least three inches (7.5cm) water on top of the beans. Add 1 tsp (5ml) salt, and a pinch of epazote. Cover, heat pot to boiling, boil two minutes uncovered, then cover pot and turn off the heat. Allow to soak covered 1-24hr.... more »

2012-02-01 21:23:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Sound explanation of current basic genetic concepts. Very cool! http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/a-blog-around-the-clock/2011/09/17/bio101-from-genes-to-traits-how-genotype-affects-phenotype/

2012-01-27 15:41:54 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Your Friday dose 'What the heck?'
This skillful and sly introduction to teach the controversy makes my brain hurt.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/bill-ban-aborted-fetuses-food-155009642--abc-news.html

2012-01-27 15:29:28 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

All of this is true, but I'd add "Research doesn't pay well." to the list of reasons why more students don't go into science. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-emdin/children-science_b_1081642.html?ref=tw

2012-01-27 15:25:13 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

I've so been here. Only thing missing is the "Sh! Don't tell anyone yet." http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1465

2012-01-12 19:51:17 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

I had another 'You couldn't have been fat. Why are you dieting?' conversations as I heated my lunch today. Those still feel odd. They pity me and congratulate me at the same time, and I want to say; the fat me has not died. I'm still me. I've been 'dieting' for years. It's not really diet any more. It's living and eating well, and within my means. I'm pretty happy with how I look, not tomorrow, not next year, but today. Live today, and love the process.
That philosophy seems to wash right by most people. I think it's because they're too busy evaluating themselves to listen. Which is just sad.

2012-01-12 16:18:38 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 2 +1s)

Science seminars that end with the audience screaming and fleeing are inherently epic. :D
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05797.x/full

2012-01-12 03:40:30 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 2 +1s)

Cool searchable mythology database. Need a Finnish god of war? Mayan Alphabet Gods? Here ya go! http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/index.php?_search

2012-01-11 21:49:34 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Indexed. More fun with Venn Diagrams than you thought possible! http://thisisindexed.com/2012/01/see-also-salts/

2012-01-10 19:53:35 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Taken from @drugmonkeyblog on Twitter. Has truth and humor. :D
http://www.thejayfk.com/?p=1709

2012-01-10 03:30:39 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 2 +1s)

I first saw this (much longer) lise as an undergrad; an oldie but still a goodie. My favorite from the old list was 'Gel carefully handled' == 'We didn't drop this one on the floor.' :) http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/ainikki666/Readingarticles.jpg

2012-01-06 18:00:12 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This reminds me of Coulton's Skullcrusher Mtn: http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/01/cloned_monkeys_from_oregon_a_f.html

2012-01-06 14:57:36 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Hawkfish Can Always Find Somebody to Love. :) http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21332-zoologger-transgender-fish-perform-reverse-sex-flip.html

2012-01-06 14:55:40 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Big, hard questions to get you thinking: http://www.nature.com/news/frontier-experiments-tough-science-1.9723

2012-01-06 14:54:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

A gorgeous view of the night sky, courtesy of +Philip Plait
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120106.html

2012-01-06 14:53:26 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Fun Friday Links: 2012 USA Movies to Look Out For: http://entertainment.time.com/2012/01/05/the-20-movies-were-looking-forward-to-in-2012-and-the-10-were-definitely-not/

2012-01-06 14:52:21 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Amazingly busy in lab. Today's band appears to be Queen; hopefully "We Are The Champions" not 'Another One Bites the Dust'. ;)

2012-01-05 23:21:55 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Fun! Wine decanters that sound like dying cats! The scientific method! & my dream test kitchen! http://www.timswineblog.com/2012/01/people-who-write-about-wine-cant-be-trusted-yes-again

2012-01-05 19:55:31 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Because I've not shared AllExperts in a while... How important is lots of genes?


Questioner B, from USA:
QUESTION: Why does bacteria have more DNA than a ox?

ANSWER: Hi B!

I'm curious to see where you got your information; perhaps there was a typo? As far as I know, an ox (a subspecies of cattle) has approximately 22,000 genes, while the poster-child bacterium E. coli has 4288 genes. The total bovine genome is 3 billion base pairs according to the annotated sequence by the Nat'l Institute of Health in the US, while the E. coli genome is about 4 million base pairs.

So, bacteria have fewer genes than an ox. This is unsurprising, because bacteria tend to dump any genetic material they're not using as a matter of course.

Cheers!

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle... more »

2012-01-05 18:41:31 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

This is awesome! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2012/01/03/genetically-engineered-silkworms-with-spider-genes-spin-super-strong-silk/

2012-01-05 18:40:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

It's amazing how much easier math is when the rest of my body isn't singing 'FEED ME SEYMOUR!' #ahh

2012-01-04 18:32:13 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Dear 2012: I'm already feeling overwhelmed. You've topped 2011. Please feel free to back off at your earliest convenience. ;)

2012-01-03 22:51:50 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 3 +1s)

Gotten from @ProteinWrangler I believe - if you are or were a grad student, you've been here. :) http://www.scribd.com/doc/72117604/What-papers-look-like-to-a-new-grad-student

2011-12-20 20:21:02 (11 comments, 3 reshares, 4 +1s)

Thought-provoking analysis of how nerd guys treat girls. Discuss? http://kotaku.com/5868595/nerds-and-male-privilege

2011-12-19 21:41:01 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Lab monkey make many graphs today. Oook Oook. :)

2011-12-19 20:21:33 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

New XKCD science mnemonics are awesome. :)
http://xkcd.com/992/

2011-12-19 19:53:00 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

H/T Calamities of Nature. Please share as is far and wide! :)
http://www.calamitiesofnature.com/archive/?c=470

2011-12-15 20:25:15 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

+Cari Taylor wants to kill me with cute today.
http://www.thehighdefinite.com/2011/05/calvin-hobbes-bacon/

2011-12-14 02:18:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Signal boost: Rebuttal to Privileged Forbes Writer. Shame on you. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/urban-scientist/2011/12/13/if-i-were-a-wealthy-white-suburbanite/

2011-12-07 17:40:34 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

+Lucy Snyder's third book in the Jessie Shimmer series is coming out! Win a copy over at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/17860-switchblade-goddess This series is great urban fantasy; has a pulse AND a wicked sense of humor. Highly reccomended.