Who knew Kenny Rogers was a scientific prophet? In the immortal words of The Gambler, you gotta “know when to walk away, know when to run.” Nowhere could this be more relevant than in the lab…
Know When to Fold ’em (for the day)
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Make Your P.I. Love You
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Success in science can depend just as much on managing our boss as it does on managing our project. Aside from making the day-to-day more enjoyable, a good working relationship with our boss is the first step towards a great recommendation. Since a reference letter can singlehandedly get an average application considered or a great application thrown out, it’s worth the effort to get one. So where do we begin?
Does Chemistry Impact Your Life?
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Sunday (October 18th) marked the beginning of National Chemistry Week, so more than usual, we’ve got chemistry on the brain. During this week, organizations like The American Chemical Society run a number of great programs to increase awareness of chemistry, particularly among younger students. But what about the rest of us – what is the perception of how chemistry affects our lives directly?
PCR Tube Strip Labeling Tip
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The very first things I ordered when I officially joined my lab were multi-colored Sharpies and a rainbow of lab tape. The color gives me a little bit of joy in a world of black, white, grey, and beige. Yes, I am the kind of person who wants tube racks in every different color. Yes, I am the kind of person who gets excited to use multicolored eppis. Yes, I am the kind of person who enjoys adding NaOH to phenol red solutions just to watch the yellow contrast with the bright pink.
Bar Chemistry that Could Save Your Life
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Forensic science is an integral part of life these days. Whether it’s a blood test at a crime scene or a paternity test on Maury, chemistry plays a critical role in solving many modern mysteries. Unfortunately, many of the techniques are applicable after the crime has taken place. However, for one class of terrifying drug-assisted assaults, simple chemistry is taking a preventative role.
Training Your Autopilot: Assay Pipetting
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Recently, we introduced a series called Training Your Autopilot: Mastering Mindless Tasks dedicated to improving laboratory techniques by standardizing the processes of performing experiments. Routine assays can be about as engaging as watching paint dry, but it doesn’t mean we should be careless or sloppy – quite the opposite. So in this installment, we build upon our previous tip and show how to integrate it into our assays.
What Threatens Us Most?
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Anyone who’s ever been on a plane knows that our bodies are constantly battling to keep us safe. Whether it’s a pressurized cabin at 37,000 ft, or a brand-new hospital at sea level, infectious agents pose a serious threat to our health. Over the past several months, talk of the H1N1 pandemic has dominated the news, but is that truly our biggest threat?
How to Weigh Small Amounts
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Weighing out small amounts is always nerve-racking. Between a shaky hand, an unwelcomed breeze or a scale full of static, there are plenty of ways for your precious few milligrams of material to vaporize into thin air. As a result, it is often tempting to get the solid into the “safer” heavier flask where at least it will be protected. However, this is not always the best idea.
Five Ways Scientists Waste Time
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Notice the title is not “The only 5 ways scientists waste time…” Labs can be filled with a million distractions, and these days most of them reside on the internet. But we’re not talking about killing two hours on Hot or Not. We’re talking about how we waste time when we don’t know we’re wasting time. Those are the killers. And these days, with funding tight and postdocs seeming to stretch into oblivion, wasting time can have serious consequences.
Stealing Projects, Surviving Gross Experiments and Deceit
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Welcome to my first column! I am very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to BenchFly, and I look forward to answering your questions! I welcome all ideas, questions and comments and thanks to Sarah, Chris and Dave for helping kick off the series!
