madame scientist's not-so-mad musings

Geek Chic Alert! Molecule Jewelry. Can you identify the following molecular structures and put them in order, from L to R in the image?

Caffeine, dopamine, estrogen, serotonin and acetylcholine

What’s your favorite?

The movie Contagion premiered this week. So did a study attempting to count all the living species of life on this earth. With insects making up 85% of that count, they would seem to be the winners. But the President of the American Society for Microbiologists sent us an email today, saying, “The microbes beg to differ”!

I am lucky to have a 20 year old daughter who posted this today…coincidentally, this was going to be my only contribution to the events of 10 years ago. Imagine that.

For all those times we’ve been stymied by scotch tape..here is one amazing celebration. It took the creator 6 months of patience and ingenuity to make this 2:49 video. Enjoy!

Washington Post, for shame! Penicillin != Penicillium != virus.

Originally shared by Jonathan Eisen

“Analysing data correctly, to identify a “difference in differences”, is a little tricksy”.

We’ve known for some time that biologists (not just neuroscientists) need better training in statistics. If only to even out the playing field.

Originally shared by Andrew T. Lane

Ion channels rapidly move charges in/out of cells to trigger sensations..including pain. Anesthetics work because they target ion channels. The news article below links chronic pain sensing (nociception) to one type of channel (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated potassium channel isoform 2, mercifully abbreviated to HCN2). Truth in advertising: you should know that this is only one of many such ion channels. ..here is an old link to an interesting story about people who have a mutation in a type of sodium channel and can no longer feel pain..they can walk on coals, for example. Sadly, this is not a good thing..the young boy in the article died early from risky behavior.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2006/dec/14/health.pakistan

Originally shared by ****

For the first time in human history…a major scientific breakthrough promises to provide relief for the millions who suffer from chronic pain

What motivates people? It’s not money…as long as they have enough of it. I will say that I agree with the findings described in the video.

Originally shared by Madeline Muñoz-Bustamante

Herbert Danzinger posted this in a pretty (surprisingly) heated comment thread regarding parenting and rewards. I have to say, this is a great video. I know it’s old but it’s incredibly interesting. I’m even giving the misspelled “weird” a pass.

via Luis Penha , the “making of” of video is cool too!

Originally shared by Dinamika Soe

Fungus Amongus! Bacteria R Beautiful! (Makes me want to see the movie..)

Originally shared by Marc Mullendore

Interesting indeed!