Honest Scientists

Oh, Buzzfeed.  You slay me.  This top 17 list appeared in my Facebook feed last week and I was laughing so hard.  It's all true.

I'll make a few ammendments:

1. Behind moneywall?  Or an interestwall.  Sometimes you just don't want to wade through reading the whole paper and you just ask your boss which paper says what you want.  They rattle it off and you blindly copy it down.

2. Or it was the only dye we had.

6. And post doc kept an unintelligale notebook.  In fact, all scientists do.

9. Yup.

13. Fisher Scientific owns everything except my life.  That is owned by the NIH.

Enjoy!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kmallikarjuna/how-to-science-as-told-by-17-overly-honest-scientists

Philadelphia women and specific bacteria

Here's a very interesting article concerned the infection rates of MAC = mycobacterium avium complex.  It seems to be found most commonly in healthy, post menopausal, white women of higher socioeconomic status.  Oh, and in the Philadelphia area.  Doctors don't know why, but they're trying to figure it out.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/homepage-feature/item/54911?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=FBWHYY773

What's wrong...

... with this picture?

Read more here!  LINK

Glass Microbiology

Luke Jerram is an artist who creates sculptures and installations, as well as live projects.  His most recent collection, entitled "Glass Microbiology" was recently purchased by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  He has created glass replicas of the viruses HPV (human papillomavirus), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and influenza in addition to the parasite that causes malaria, and an E. coli bacterium.  Scientists know what these microscopic organisms (yes, I'm going to choose to call a virus a living entity) and are widely discussed in the scientific world.  However, these pieces of art now bring this information to a wider group of people.  They're beautiful!

Luke Jerram's Glass Microbiology site: http://www.lukejerram.com/glass/

Article about his work: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276348/Glass-Microbiology-Luke-Jerrams-delicate-deadly-viruses-recreated-blown-glass.html#axzz2KBDwXso2

E. coli bacterium

Close

What are you doing on February 15th?  I know what the asteroid 2012 DA 14 will be doing - coming within 18,000 miles of Earth's surface.  It might sound far, but it's actually closer to us than the moon and some satellites. 

The asteroid is believed to be about 45 meters (~ 148 feet) in diameter, but will not be visible to the naked eye.

Check out its path and more information at NASA's Near Earth Object Program here: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news174.html

Many small objects come close to Earth every year.  To give you a flavor of what is really going on in space, here's an article from TIME magazine discussing this very topic: http://science.time.com/2013/02/05/duck-close-shave-with-an-asteroid-coming/

The asteroid Mathilde, taken by the

NEAR spacecract on 6/16/97

Remembering Columbia

Tomorrow, February 1st, will mark ten years since Space Shuttle Columbia broke into pieces over Dallas, TX while returning from a 16 day mission.

It's always the question - do you remember where you were when it happened?

I can't remember what city I was in, but I do remember being in a hotel with my husband.  We had been arguing over something until CNN caught our eye.  The news station was showing clips of debris flying through the air that looked like comets.  Of course the story harkened back to the Challenger explosion of 1986, not only in incident but also in timing: Challenger was lost on January 28th, nearly 17 years before.  So ominous.

Wayne Hale worked for NASA for 32 years.  He's been the Space Shuttle Program Manager, Space Shuttle Program Deputy and Space Shuttle Flight Director.  He was involved in Columbia's mission and was waiting on the ground at the Kennedy Space Center with many other VIPs when the shuttle disintegrated.  He wrote a blog while working at NASA, but has since started his own that is unaffiliated.  His new series, called Ten Years Later, is quite moving and full of personal details concerning this fateful mission and the lessons we all have learned from it.

I highly recommend reading it: http://waynehale.wordpress.com/

It was my dream to work for NASA as a child.  I saw the Challenger explode when I was in second grade.  My teachers had rolled in a TV to show us the live launch because they thought it was going to be amazing.  These moments have stuck with me since then and I'll take a moment tomorrow to remember the seven astronauts who did not come home.

Remote Camera

These photographs were taken by Anup Shah using a remote camera.  They are gorgeous!

See more here!  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2252061/Anup-Shah-Close-photographs-African-wildlife-stunning-light.html

Ooooh.

Christmas Eve Eve is like this guy staring at a ladybug.

The Bounty Sinks!

I'm way behind on this story, but I figured most people hadn't heard about this, either.  Or maybe I was too drawn into the disasters of Northern NJ and NYC to really notice Sandy problems further south.  Regardless, let's take a moment to look back again on a beautiful replica ship.

The story of Mutiny on the Bounty is one of my favorites.  I've read many testimonies about William Bligh and Fletcher Christian and continue to get really excited when I see research (and more research!) coming out of the populations from Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands.  If you aren't familiar with the story, read the trilogy (which is a fictional account, but will hook your interest to read so much more!)

Unsurprisingly, the Bounty itself did not survive the mutiny.  The mutineers, lead by Fletcher Christian, ran the ship ashore at Pitcairn Island and then burned it so no trace of their crime would be left behind.  For the 1962 film starring Marlon Brando, a replica of the Bounty was built for filming.  Since then, this beautiful ship (see below) was used in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, for rentals and tours.  Unfortunately, the Bounty ran into trouble during Hurricane Sandy and sunk off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on October 29th, 2012.  All but two crew members were saved by the Coast Guard.

CNN.com news story: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/29/us/sandy-bounty-ship/index.html

Here are a few pictures of the Bounty!

A reason for exercise

Last week's Nature magazine had a series of articles on aging.  One article (LINK!) says that with all the research, most scientists agree on two things:

1. Just about everyone will experience mental decline, typically in memory, by age 60.
2. Aerobic exercise delays/slows mental decline.

Go outside and run!

Meth.

I've debated putting a post up about this new anti-drug campaign, but in the end I decided to do it.  I warn you, the links that I attached to this post show some rather striking images of people's faces before and after taking methamphetamine.  If this doesn't turn kids off of taking meth, then I'm not sure what in the world would.  The poster also explains the tell-tale signs of meth-abusers, including "meth mouth," sunken cheeks, scabs on their faces and premature aging.

In full disclosure, one of the early comparison pictures shows a young woman who clearly has scars from facial burns.  This woman was involved in a meth lab explosion leading to a debate whether this could be classified as "due to taking meth."  I argue that it does.

Yes, the campaign takes the more horrifying pictures to make a point.  No, not every person who takes meth will end up with such terrible changes to their appearance, but it certainly makes a dramatic point.  If it scares even one kid away from taking this highly addictive drug, then it has served its purpose.

LINK to Meth poster: http://i46.tinypic.com/2ef3hiv.jpg

LINK to article discussing the poster: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244031/The-horror-Meth-Before-pictures-reveal-shocking-transformation-faces-users-hooked-deadly-drug.html#comments

LINK to the MethProject for more information on its dangers: http://www.methproject.org/

I think we need to bring out the classic Anti-Drugs commercial for this post's picture:

116 Years Old!

Here are some highlights from the year 1896:

- Utah becomes the 45th U.S. state (January 4th)
- Opening Ceremonies for first modern Olympics are held in Athens (April 6th)
- Queen Victoria becomes the longest reigning monarch in Britian (September 22nd)
- William McKinley is elected president of the United States by defeating William Jennings Bryan (November 3rd)

You know what else happened?  Besse Cooper was born.  She joined the women's suffrage movement at age 24.  She married in 1924, had four children and was widowed in 1963.  She became a school teacher during World War I.  She also claims eleven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and amazingly two great-great granchildren!

In January 2011, Guinness World Records gave her the distinction of the oldest living human.  She died peacefully on Tuesday, December 4th, 2012, aged 116.

What an amazing life!!

LINK to her story on CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/04/us/georgia-oldest-person-dies/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

LINK to her story on ABCNews: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/05/15690486-worlds-oldest-woman-besse-cooper-dies-at-116-in-georgia-nursing-home?lite

Not quite Old Tom Parr, but her story is one for the record books!

Serengeti Story

I have a thing for books.  It's tragic, really - I'll spend $50 in Barnes and Noble without batting an eye.  This is why Viggle and their B&N gift cards are excellent.  Look into it.

Anyway, I caught this synopsis for "Serengeti Story: A Scientist in Paradise" in last week's Nature magazine.  Now, I want it.  The book is written by Anthony Sinclair who has spent 50 years studying this area of East Africa.  The book covers its ecological, social, political and economic history.

One day, I'm going to the Serengeti.  Absolutely.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Serengeti-Story-scientist-paradise-ebook/dp/B009SNGLDK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354635237&sr=8-1&keywords=serengeti+story

Serengeti's Official Website: http://www.serengeti.org/

Happy Birthday!

I missed it, but Mini-Amedeo turned one on November 16th.  I was probably knee-deep in some beers due to my papers finally being sent out.  That, and it was a Friday.

Thanks for reading!!

Giant Sequoias

National Geographic is publishing some majestic pictures of the 3,200 year old and second largest Giant Sequoia 'President' in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. 

Link, The Daily Mail summary: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2235452/Giant-sequoia-National-Geographic-pictures-giants-forest-Sierra-Nevada.html

Link, National Geographic: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/12/sequoias/quammen-text

Preview Shot:

Walking Again

::waves::  I'm back from a short blogging break.  I have three manuscripts in various levels of review/publication so I was very focused on that work for the past few weeks.  But, I'm back now!  Just in time for Thanksgiving!

I recently listed to a podcast on exoskeletons ("Stuff You Should Know").  As science minded as I am, I originally thought they were going to tell me how crustaceans and bugs made their hard skins, but exoskeletons also refers to the design of robotics to help human achievement.  These are machines that a human would physically wear while doing work.  DARPA recently asked for designs that will help soldiers carry heavier loads for longer periods, walk faster, and jump higher. 

One area they are truly amazing is helping those with paralysis to walk again.  Their muscles no longer respond to their central nervous system due to the severing of their spinal columns, but the robotics, acting as bones and muscle, can respond to other cues, such as leaning forward.  Here's an article from the New York Times about their progress.  Fascinating.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/technology/wearable-robots-that-can-help-people-walk-again.html

See ya, Sandy.

Sandy roared ashore between Sea Isle City and Avalon, NJ at 8pm last night as a Category 1 storm (maximum sustained winds of 80 mph).  This is 5 miles south of Atlantic City (pictures below) and just a few towns south of Ocean City, NJ (pictures below).

We made it through!  We didn't even lose power (but we did lose internet until this afternoon).  I went out to see the Schuylkill River cresting and was surprised to see it was much lower than last year's Hurricane Irene.  Unfortunately, many many places were not so lucky.


Ocean City, NJ High School:

Long Beach Island, NJ:

Ocean City, NJ (10th St):

Atlantic City, NJ (that's a piece of the boardwalk floating there):

World Trade Center / Freedom Tower construction site in NYC:

Stay safe during the clean up.  Be patient.  Some people, especially those along the Jersey shore and the people affected by the fire in Queens, were impacted deeply by this storm.
 

More Sandy...

       Well, I fail as an arm-chair meteorologist.  I've been watching Sandy's wind speed and central pressure over the past day.  Her winds were down to 75 mph and pressure was climbing well into the 900s mb.  I figured that the cooler waters up here would decrease the storm's strength, dropping it to a tropical storm before making landfall.  Mother Nature ruined that plan.  The storm is 205 miles from Atlantic City and packing 90 mile an hour winds.  That's a strong category 1 storm!

Sandy at ~ 8am:

Sandy at ~ 11am:

Oh, Sandy.

The sun is barely peaking out from behind the thick white and gray clouds right now.  I know this is the last of it for awhile!  The wind is picking up, but nothing really to write home about yet.

Here's an updated picture.  Look how big this storm is.  We're still not sure what to expect, but don't worry - Sandy's path takes her directly through Philadelphia.  I'll be sure to find out.

Villanova University, University of Delaware, and The University of Pennsylvania have been declared closed Monday and Tuesday.  No, I haven't heard any plans to shut down our transportation system like NYC already announced.

EDIT: SEPTA (Philadelphia's public transportation system) has announced it will suspend all bus, trolley, subway, and rail service starting at 12:30am Monday.  It is expected to last at least the majority of Monday.

Hurricane Sandy

As a citizen in the City of Brotherly Love, apparently I'm also a target for Hurricane Sandy.  Her 5-day prediction cone is centered squarely on Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.  The hospital I work at sent out a multi-page, power-point-esque document yesterday outlining their emergency preparedness.  They've never done that before, which made me wonder just how big this storm was (quite honestly, I'd barely heard a blip about Hurricane Sandy before 3pm yesterday).

I love the names that are coming out about it right now.  Superstorm!  Diane Sawyer broke into local news last night to light up Philadelphians' ears with that one.  Today, CNN is calling it "Frankenstorm."  Very clever - that whole hurricane merging with cold front right around Halloween angle.  "Perfect Storm" was also bandied about on CNN this morning - saying it was twenty years later than originally suspected.  I'm not sure I understand this reference?

Anyway, since I'm sitting in the bulls-eye, I'll be sure to pass along some fun pictures like I did for Hurricane Irene.

Until then, here's a snapshot of Sandy right now.