tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86230579209480320462024-03-13T14:35:19.317+00:00Pride and...Plankton!About things like plankton, science and general randomness.
I believe that there are things that if you let go once you never see again... not just items, but people and memories too.
(And...My memory is particularly bad!).Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-9381707497962630742013-01-10T13:51:00.000+00:002013-01-10T13:51:09.089+00:00Thesis writing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello,<br />
<br />
it has been a while. Currently I have been working hard on my thesis and I am hoping to finish soon ( a few months that is). Unfortunately scientific writing doesn't come naturally for me and it takes me triple the amount of time, when compared to others, to produce something decent. I have been working on a few chapters but none of them is really in state fit to be presented.<br />
<br />
I always though that research was what I wanted to do but in recent months I think I started to change my mind. I am nor particularly enjoying this part of my PhD and really...writing is what science is all about! Communicating your research in a well constructed and understandable format is essential.<br />
<br />
So I am at the turning point of my career, which path to take? the choices are:<br />
1- years of struggles going between 2-3 years post-doc contracts (if you can find one...) with no job security but only stress<br />
2- try and find a mindless job somewhere involving getting up every day at the same time, doing exactly the same things every day till your spirit dries up and the only thing to do is to count the days to retirement<br />
<br />
Cynical view isn't it? Of course a third option would be find a great job where your brain is stimulated and you get paid loads but really...how many of those are out there? I feel like I have to choose from being a overworked donkey or battery chicken.<br />
<br />
I think it may be the stress talking o be fair. In the end if you have an interesting and stimulating private life should help making sense of things, maybe i'll get one of those when I finish and all will be well. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zos5Hr8eHCQ/UO7GjTtiwAI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/ZotqeP4bzWY/s1600/072820-jory-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zos5Hr8eHCQ/UO7GjTtiwAI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/ZotqeP4bzWY/s320/072820-jory-cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/cooked-chicken-can-be-toxic/story-e6freagu-1225997064989</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
raffles79</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-64808859921618267852012-04-17T11:24:00.001+01:002012-04-17T11:29:29.362+01:00Plankton and Junk Food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QbQ53hg0eRg/T4w9ygO4XGI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/6Z3moLatwHM/s1600/Sheldon_J._Plankton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QbQ53hg0eRg/T4w9ygO4XGI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/6Z3moLatwHM/s200/Sheldon_J._Plankton.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plankton and junk food</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hello!<br />
<br />
I am in Plymouth at present, working at SAHFOS <a href="http://www.sahfos.ac.uk/">http://www.sahfos.ac.uk/</a> to finish analysing some samples I took on the UK-Chile cruise I sailed on in 2010. Wow, finally after almost 2 years I'll be able to figure out what was going on in the ocean when I looked at it. Well... at least answer the little tiny question I asked myself back then. You will probably wonder...what question was it? In a few months I will reveal it all! I just need to finish my thesis first. Let's just say I wanted to find out a little more about how copepod health is affected by what they eat. It's important you know?! Have you seen that "Supersize me" programme? Well...copepods may have an issue with junk food too...<br />
<br />
Anyway. What is good about being here is that SAHFOS have the best Plankton taxonomists in the world and the lots of books that can help me with the identification of the copepods I have seen. Also, they have access to fresh plankton every week (for experiments).<br />
<br />
Here what they do and why: <a href="http://www.westernchannelobservatory.org.uk/">http://www.westernchannelobservatory.org.uk</a><br />
<br />
As you can see there are plenty of people interested in plankton and all of us look into different things and ask different questions. SAHFOS for example, has been scanning the ocean for a very long time (more than 60 years!) and their ultimate goal is to have a time series of data available to anyone interested showing species distribution over space and time. This is because plankton responds to environmental changes much quicker than other animals.<br />
<br />
Monitoring plankton is beneficial for us all as in the plankton you get larvae of fish and crabs etc..things that we eat and love! I mean, we eat a LOT of fish worldwide. Therefore looking at things such babies abundance and health can help us identifying problems in the fisheries.<br />
<br />
For more info on the system they use visit their website! It's a really clever device.<br />
<br />
<br />
raffles79</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-77492725248465135452011-12-08T22:34:00.001+00:002012-04-18T12:46:36.394+01:00Frozen Planet and Climate Sceptics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Hello,<br />
<br />
sorry I haven't been posting since the long lost summer months, yes I am a poor excuse of a blogger! Well in my defense I had no time to do anything...not even the laundry! (as my partner loudly complains).<br />
<br />
What I have been up to? well, apart for a short break when my dear sister got married...lab work.<br />
<br />
The lab work has been very intense as well as my weekly journey to the British Antarctic Survey (Cambridge) to carry out some specialized samples analysis which, hopefully, will give me some very interesting numbers to discuss in my thesis and show the world (well...whoever wants to read about it).<br />
<br />
In the lab I have been finally able to get going with loads of experiments but I had a few problems with my cultures.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/images/large/Frozen-Planet-31793_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/images/large/Frozen-Planet-31793_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
FROZEN PLANET <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mfl7n">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mfl7n</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
Most of you may have been able to watch the latest David Attenborough (BBC)'s series. The photography is just amazing! I loved every minute of it and that reinforced my desire to discover more about this strange world where animals have been able to thrive in such harsh habitats. </div>
<br />
The last episode talked about climate change and, only to be expected, with that sparked a series of responses from critics and skeptics.<br />
<br />
In the US they are even going to change the narration and Alec Baldwin's voice will be taped over Sir Attenborough's. They are going to great lengths in order to avoid, what they call, controversy.<br />
<br />
The telegraph even dared to publish a rubbish article by this so called "journalist" Christopher Booker, accusing and denigrating the episode saying things like<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"By making its coverage so flagrantly one-sided on the environment issue, it has betrayed its statutory duty to report on world events impartially".</blockquote>
<br />
Now...to crap reporting there must be a limit. Not once I have heard Sir David saying the words "MAN MADE CLIMATE CHANGE". And I have listened very carefully! He just laid out the truth about our world's changes fair and square. He showed pictures of what it was before and what it is now. What animals were doing and how they are trying to cope now. Some species adapt, some migrate and some, unfortunately, suffer and won't adapt on time.<br />
<br />
The press just keeps on dramatizing and lying and so called "journalists" with no qualifications on the topics they choose to discuss, just write without even knowing what they are writing about. I always believed that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, even if I don't agree with that. But the arguments need to have a certain foundation of intelligence before they are exposed to the rest of the world.<br />
<br />
After my rant..*cough cough*.<br />
<br />
I believe we live in a changing world, I believe we are changing it, damaging it and spoiling it. I believe in science.<br />
<br />
<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/302344_10150316139666534_620376533_8282207_1668167346_n.jpg" /><br />
<br />
check this out: <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/7221110/Climate-change-sceptics-playing-Russian-roulette-with-planet.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/7221110/Climate-change-sceptics-playing-Russian-roulette-with-planet.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you all<br />
<br />
<br />
raffles79</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-20995745120825452452011-07-23T22:39:00.000+01:002011-07-23T22:39:04.027+01:00Oban Field Course<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello,<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oRwFmfE1LTA/Tis3IPqGLRI/AAAAAAAAAJU/OLBcWozpVVI/s1600/SAM_5047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oRwFmfE1LTA/Tis3IPqGLRI/AAAAAAAAAJU/OLBcWozpVVI/s320/SAM_5047.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oban from theMcCaig Tower</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am back! I am so sorry I have not been posting but I am hardly finding the time to sleep...and I LOVE sleeping my beloved 8 hours. 7 I can get away with but 8 it's perfection itself in my eyes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qH7KmucGox8/Tis3eynSrwI/AAAAAAAAAJY/bSF6GNCQtyg/s1600/SAM_5080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qH7KmucGox8/Tis3eynSrwI/AAAAAAAAAJY/bSF6GNCQtyg/s320/SAM_5080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighthouse view from the MV <i>Calanus</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyways, what have I been up to? Well I have been working hard, I have been to Scotland; to Oban to be more precise, for a week long field course for 1st and second years undergraduates. I really enjoyed demonstrating. The Students were really lovely and we managed to do some really fun activities. We had 3 groups that took turns each day on different field data collection events. We had 5 events in total: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Activities: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Frontal features (MV Calanus) - mixed versus stratified waters, CTD+rosette, light, phosphate, chlorophyll, oxygen – compare spatial transect / across front, compare over 3 days, learn to calibrate fluorescence and oxygen sensors</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Hydrographic survey (MV Seol Mara) – Loch Etive </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Fish farm ecological footprint </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7xo6ayOfykk/Tis3yOw1OkI/AAAAAAAAAJc/4crYj1glU0o/s1600/SAM_5085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7xo6ayOfykk/Tis3yOw1OkI/AAAAAAAAAJc/4crYj1glU0o/s320/SAM_5085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CTD + Rosette sampling </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Chemistry lab – analyse phosphate / chlorophyll / dissolved oxygen </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Tides and currents – make CTD and current measurements from jetty </div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The students were asked to come up with their own sampling plan before we set off. They looked at the data collected in 2009 and then decided on an hypothesis and planned the data collection. We all worked really hard but we had our fun too.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zRhzCncBqo/Tis4FTRNtCI/AAAAAAAAAJg/dJDG7TDxHjM/s1600/SAM_5101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zRhzCncBqo/Tis4FTRNtCI/AAAAAAAAAJg/dJDG7TDxHjM/s320/SAM_5101.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Students</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was in charge of the MV Calanus activity and after that I was just helping around with the tasks/students that needed assistance. Looooong days.</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3 of us arrived in Oban the day before the students turned up so we stayed in hotel in the town (City??!) centre...The hotel had one of those 1970' names like "Queen Victoria" or "Regent Hotel" or "Royal Hotel"...something like that! The deco was most definitely 1970'...and the guest average age was around 70 years old! Probably all coming from a organised tour involving a traditional Christmas meal, in June! Just in case you felt you wouldn't make it to see December the 25th 2011...*cough cough*. Thus, the atmosphere was a little decadent but I had fun having a drink at the bar were all the elderlies were entertained by a Scottish back-piper, the true essence of SCOOOOTLAND that is! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KasvGoiIC9U/Tis4Ywntn0I/AAAAAAAAAJk/tsPV31YptlQ/s1600/SAM_5133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KasvGoiIC9U/Tis4Ywntn0I/AAAAAAAAAJk/tsPV31YptlQ/s320/SAM_5133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish larvae and small fries</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyways...the day after we moved with the group to a hostel on the seafront, run by this old and bitter Scottish lady who was a little abusive to us and generally disliked having guests and people in her house, which it's a bonus if you are running a hotel business. Ahhh sweet memories.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I really enjoyed the visit to the fish farm where the owner took us around the "nursery" and talked to us for ages about how things are run and how difficult the business is. Still he has contracts with Waitrose and Asda...surely it is not that bad??</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MkTZdkbbEl8/Tis5RJfv7GI/AAAAAAAAAJo/9trq76a53D8/s1600/SAM_5172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MkTZdkbbEl8/Tis5RJfv7GI/AAAAAAAAAJo/9trq76a53D8/s320/SAM_5172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halibut pocking out</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cages where the developing young adults are kept were out in the lochs. They keep Halibuts, amazing enormous flat fish, who like to pop at surface for a bit of a breather and to satisfy their curiosity (I like to think), just like sunfishes! They also have rainbow trouts, who like to leap out of the water an breach, and other species scattered along the area. A bit of a smelly place near the warehouses but all in all very interesting. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday night Chris and I organised a little BBQ for the whole group. We had it on the beach in front of the SAMS institute where we were based. I must say the word "Summer" somehow doesn't cut it in Scotland. Chris and I drove back from Oban, where we left the place under torrential rain and 12 degrees centigrades and we arrived in Norwich with scorching sunshine and temperatures hitting 30 degrees...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wA8w_w12lMM/Tis5mIDyzoI/AAAAAAAAAJs/phbmMHJoFuc/s1600/SAM_5177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wA8w_w12lMM/Tis5mIDyzoI/AAAAAAAAAJs/phbmMHJoFuc/s320/SAM_5177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
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<div><br />
</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-19421826292607609382011-06-13T13:09:00.004+01:002011-06-13T22:57:44.462+01:00Catching up and Longitude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">I must apologize, I haven't posted anything for a while but it has been a little manic around here.<br />
<br />
My sister came to visit last weekend and I have also been busy trying to get hold of some zooplankton for my experiments (I run out). Plus, I have been preparing to head to Scotland next week, to demonstrate for an Oceanography undergraduate module but I will report on that when I get back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jZpmEIjeME0/TfX0dWjUS7I/AAAAAAAAAI4/t7Kpz65rxhY/s1600/SAM_4860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jZpmEIjeME0/TfX0dWjUS7I/AAAAAAAAAI4/t7Kpz65rxhY/s320/SAM_4860.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cycling over Tower Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">My sister Valentina, her fiancée Gabriele and our friends Marco and Eleonora took advantage of a bank holiday weekend in Italy and popped over to the UK. We spent a couple of days in London, under the blazing sun and we managed to fit a few touristy things in (spending the minimum amount of money I must stress!).</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I particularly enjoyed renting those push bikes that Barcklays and their "cycle hire" scheme sponsors all around London <a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx">http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx</a> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pFKHqpPNCtw/TfX0ngMUV2I/AAAAAAAAAI8/LJh67gzkY6w/s1600/SAM_4903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pFKHqpPNCtw/TfX0ngMUV2I/AAAAAAAAAI8/LJh67gzkY6w/s320/SAM_4903.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the London Eye in a summer day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We crossed Tower Bridge and cycled along the Thames path and docked our bikes at the London Eye. Along Southbank the "Indian Summer" festival was in full swing to celebrate the festival of Britain, apparently. Lovely set up with lots of stalls and street performers. To note: the queue for the London eye was so long that I couldn't figure out where it started. Pretty busy all around I say.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">We then headed South-East to Greenwich on the Thames ferry. I have never been there before. There were people everywhere! We managed to scramble up the observatory on the top of the hill but due to economical constraints we didn't enter it <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/">http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yet, we were able to see the Prime Meridian, nicely laid out for people to pose with. We decided that a picture with us walking on it, wasn't worth braving the queue starting from outside the courtyard so we just admired it from afar (it is located pretty close to the gates in fact). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3L0mCPg2tRM/TfX0s4hqeMI/AAAAAAAAAJA/bzp2WKXRE48/s1600/SAM_4942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3L0mCPg2tRM/TfX0s4hqeMI/AAAAAAAAAJA/bzp2WKXRE48/s320/SAM_4942.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prime Meridian. Greenwich Observatory.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I think I would have liked to go inside and browse the planetarium and museum display, I am intrigued by Harrison's timekeepers. I read his biography written by Dava Sobel. The book is titled <b>Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time </b>and it explains in details how the invention of the chronometer improved navigation. <br />
<br />
Summary: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_(book)">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_(book)</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i><br />
<i>"Before the 18th century ocean navigators could not find an accurate way of determining longitude. This failure caused ships to miss their destination, many times crashing into rocks and killing their crews. A practical solution came from a simple carpenter, John Harrison, who solved one of the most difficult problems of his time by creating an accurate chronometer. The best scientists of the time, including Isaac Newton, thought it impossible. Harrison spent four decades perfecting a watch that would ultimately earn him the prize established by the Longitude Act of 1714, thanks to the recognition and influence of King George III of England" (from: <a href="http://www.nobeliefs.com/sobel.htm">http://www.nobeliefs.com/sobel.htm</a>)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--c40xwNSupw/TfX0yECaR8I/AAAAAAAAAJE/wngaDOcnTuk/s1600/SAM_4949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--c40xwNSupw/TfX0yECaR8I/AAAAAAAAAJE/wngaDOcnTuk/s320/SAM_4949.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial units of length.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The book is short and easy to read. Anyone interested in all things historical, mechanics, engineering, navigation and science would enjoy it, even if they are not great readers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The observatory has also organised a photographic competition called "Astronomy Photographer of the Year"<br />
<a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/astronomy-photographer-of-the-year/">http://www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/astronomy-photographer-of-the-year/</a><br />
It looks very promising, I am really not going to miss it! It's all online too. The pictures are amazing, the night sky never fails to amaze anyone with it's beauty romance and mysteries. Enjoy the show.</div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2sOBwXwgshU/TfX0-L_8yeI/AAAAAAAAAJI/wtTDOkK7yic/s1600/SAM_4964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2sOBwXwgshU/TfX0-L_8yeI/AAAAAAAAAJI/wtTDOkK7yic/s320/SAM_4964.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Grabriele, Marco, Eleonora and I</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-87036678273710059542011-05-28T23:08:00.000+01:002011-05-28T23:08:31.770+01:00Introduction to Plankton - Phytoplankton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">In my first "Introduction to Plankton" post I introduced the different types of plankton that live in the ocean. I now would like to expand my introduction and focus on one plankton type at the time. I think the logical way to do it to start from the base of the oceanic food chain upwards (downwards in the picture below in order of appearance in the food web) . </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yHAZNs-6OaM/TeFiQ60wQAI/AAAAAAAAAIw/nxZ0VsWJL2g/s1600/food+web.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yHAZNs-6OaM/TeFiQ60wQAI/AAAAAAAAAIw/nxZ0VsWJL2g/s320/food+web.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oceanic food chain. <br />
Phytoplankton at the base , eaten by zooplankton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The term "food chain" stands for the representation of what species live in a certain ecosystem (environment) and how they are linked together in a sort of "who eats what" order. Basically all organisms that live in a certain habitat interact with each other, those interaction follow an order which, in simple words, start from the simplest life form upwards. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Different habitats and ecosystems have evolved throughout time different complexities in their food chains, depending on how many species live there and the environmental factors. Although doesn't matter where, they all have one thing in common, the first link of the chain is plants or so called PHYTOPLANKTON (unicellular algae) in the ocean. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because plants and phytoplankton are the first link in the various chains they are called PRIMARY PRODUCERS. Plants can produce their own food through a process called photosynthesis (this is what autotrophs means: plants are autotrophs). The two most important things that phytoplankton needs to do that are:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">light</span></li>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9chRGueMwDo/TeFiTQANqYI/AAAAAAAAAI0/U2AeDm1sATk/s1600/plankton+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9chRGueMwDo/TeFiTQANqYI/AAAAAAAAAI0/U2AeDm1sATk/s320/plankton+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phytoplankton growth</td></tr>
</tbody></table><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nutrients </span>(inorganic)</li>
</ul><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So different light intensities and different nutrient concentrations will determine how well phytoplankton grows and develops. Temperature also plays a major role. Different environments often offer different amounts of the 2 required items. For example, think of polar waters compared to equatorial areas, you will find different species of phytoplankton living in these 2 parts of the world. This is because the 2 areas have completely different characteristics, therefore the phytoplankton grows differently and over time evolved to adapt to the specific conditions of the habitats. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because of this dependence on light, phytoplankton productivity is highest near the surface water and decreases with depth. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most important Inorganic nutrients necessary for phytoplankton growth are CARBON (C), NITROGEN (N) and PHOSPHATE (P) (macronutrients) plus others so called micronutrients such as IRON (Fe). Micro because they are necessary in smaller quantities for the cells to function.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Generally those nutrients are limited at the surface of the open ocean waters with nitrogen and phosphorus in especially short supply; (this is a primary reason for the relatively low productivity of open oceans). Marine phytoplankton is more productive near the coasts were input of nutrients come from the land running off into the surrounding waters. Also productivity is higher in upwelling areas where nutrient rich waters come to the surface.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In one of the next posts I will talk about the different types of phytoplankton and how to culture it! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-16143680492666371722011-05-24T20:39:00.002+01:002011-05-25T09:52:55.363+01:00Norwich and Norfolk Festival 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JHtXcQoXRQ/Tdv80HBPfyI/AAAAAAAAAIM/oicRK8jcuHs/s1600/IMAG0056.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JHtXcQoXRQ/Tdv80HBPfyI/AAAAAAAAAIM/oicRK8jcuHs/s320/IMAG0056.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Giant Robot-wolves and "piper" driving a wolf-head</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>For the past 2 weeks (6-21 of May) here in the East of England we had a large festival going on; the so called NNF11 aka Norwich and Norfolk Festival 2011.<br />
<br />
The festival's programme included theatrical and musical events as well as workshops for all ages and general random entertainment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gosh it took me ages to figure out how to spell the word entertainment...</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Anyway,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnBmqMrtYRM/Tdv83UJx79I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/9pD80pUC17g/s1600/IMAG0060.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnBmqMrtYRM/Tdv83UJx79I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/9pD80pUC17g/s320/IMAG0060.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">special effects of giant robot wolves</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>with so much going on in the lab I managed to select only a few events. The first thing I went to see was this crazy giant robot wolves performance. It was an interpretation of the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamling where the wolves followed an incredible woman playing the piano at the same time as driving a giant wolf head-cart around the city centre...I forgot to mention she is even a contortionist!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The day after (the beginning of the weekend), opened with the "May Daze". In Chapelfield Gardens they set up a lot of stalls and mini shows. I went to see the "side show of curiosities". Quite random as you can see from the picture of the bearded Houdini mermaid...very funny though! It involved cabaret & burlesque events. <a href="http://www.hocuspocustheatre.co.uk/">http://www.hocuspocustheatre.co.uk/</a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4qRi-1QtEhw/Tdv9JlJ0yPI/AAAAAAAAAIU/niK4wxQE7Sc/s1600/IMAG0075.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4qRi-1QtEhw/Tdv9JlJ0yPI/AAAAAAAAAIU/niK4wxQE7Sc/s320/IMAG0075.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">bearded Houdini mermaid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzBNBnyn748/Tdv9MmH7dbI/AAAAAAAAAIY/vBL82IbmE8A/s1600/IMAG0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzBNBnyn748/Tdv9MmH7dbI/AAAAAAAAAIY/vBL82IbmE8A/s320/IMAG0084.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">street entertainment</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I loved the randomness of some of these performances, the colours and the creativity behind each thought and costumes. There were a lot of science outreach events too, mainly connected to pollution and conservation. Some very interesting workshops of mixing Art and Science as well (I love it).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back to the festival. In the main time, all over the city, art displays and streets performances were on.<br />
<br />
The highlight of the week for me was the "Dining with Alice" show <a href="http://diningwithalice.co.uk/">http://diningwithalice.co.uk/</a>. For that we traveled to Elsing Hall, a 15th century moated manor house in rural Norfolk. A wonderful place so fairy-tale like, my pictures don't do it justice so here the direct link <a href="http://www.elsinghall.com/">http://www.elsinghall.com/</a>. Some of my friends have even volunteered to participate and gave up much of their precious time for the performance! The attention to the details was fabulous.</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFHfQsZGPOI/Tdv91rThIbI/AAAAAAAAAIc/LMZtNxD6Ua0/s1600/SAM_4708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFHfQsZGPOI/Tdv91rThIbI/AAAAAAAAAIc/LMZtNxD6Ua0/s320/SAM_4708.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dining with Alice 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ya1Oz_RsKx8/Tdv-Ek31lpI/AAAAAAAAAIg/Gzws_eLDSVo/s1600/SAM_4721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ya1Oz_RsKx8/Tdv-Ek31lpI/AAAAAAAAAIg/Gzws_eLDSVo/s320/SAM_4721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner table</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsRn2C8RbXU/Tdv-eETrX-I/AAAAAAAAAIo/DHdTNqCUBeA/s1600/SAM_4767.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsRn2C8RbXU/Tdv-eETrX-I/AAAAAAAAAIo/DHdTNqCUBeA/s320/SAM_4767.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Izzy and I enjoying the party/show</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zkj8yIsnNRM/Tdv_FZsrQgI/AAAAAAAAAIs/KZfP5fvuy44/s320/SAM_4773.JPG" width="320" /><br />
<br />
Final show<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">In the end I managed to fit in a puppet show as well as a great classical music/choir concert at the Norwich Cathedral (The so called "voice project"), a very enchanting setting with so much history and atmosphere <a href="http://www.cathedral.org.uk/">http://www.cathedral.org.uk/</a>.<br />
<br />
I seem to go through phases when I listen to a lot of classical music and others when I am more into contemporary pop/rock/folk genre. At present I am loving the old school classics, particularly while I am trying to write up a paper I wish to publish soon (ish...a few months I suspect)..we'll see. I found that listening to new age type of noises, the sound of waves in particular is also very soothing and helps me focusing blocking the other background noises out. Strangely on the website I found: <a href="http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/wmcstore/WMCshop.cgi?action=dbview&id=EA25">http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/wmcstore/WMCshop.cgi?action=dbview&id=EA25</a> you can even select background such as "electric fan"...<br />
<br />
I am disappointed I didn't get tickets for some of the show in the main tent arena but there is always next year. Shakespeare season is opening now, not that I understand all of what the actors are saying, with me being foreign and all, but I love a bit of theatre none the less! Shows really break the routine and they are very social. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-20970838004036033122011-05-13T21:33:00.001+01:002011-05-15T18:19:49.974+01:00Collecting Plankton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PJokfENwKYU/Tc2edMd9_oI/AAAAAAAAAHo/BgYjuMG9VFQ/s1600/SAM_4445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PJokfENwKYU/Tc2edMd9_oI/AAAAAAAAAHo/BgYjuMG9VFQ/s320/SAM_4445.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carboys and Emma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A few weeks ago I went to collect some lovely plankton off the coast of Great Yarmouth. The company were I used to work before (Gardline Environmental), is kindly helping me in my quest for it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Emma and I went out on one of their fast cats. It was a very clear day and thankfully very calm! I do suffer of seasickness and unfortunately, I am one of the very unlucky ones that really cannot get over it; doesn't matter what I do. But I love the sea so much and I will keep going back. <br />
<br />
Emma's version of the event is here: <a href="http://sowhataboutseaweed.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/monday-media-copepod-hunting/">http://sowhataboutseaweed.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/monday-media-copepod-hunting/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTI9Cj2PIDY/Tc77sHIaKOI/AAAAAAAAAH0/05KLbIPDDxg/s1600/PA230469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTI9Cj2PIDY/Tc77sHIaKOI/AAAAAAAAAH0/05KLbIPDDxg/s320/PA230469.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WP2 Bongo net 0.2mm mesh. <br />
AMT20 zooplankton pre-dawn cast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We deployed our nets not too far from the coast in the cold water (8 degrees!) and collected some little zooplankton and copepods for me.<br />
<br />
There are different ways of collecting plankton, mainly because it depends on what plankton you want to sample. As I mentioned in my previous post "introduction to plankton", the is quite a variety of plankton and plankton sizes which can effect the selection of the sampling method. Plants and animals are collected usind different equipment and separately.<br />
<br />
I am interested in <b>MESO - zooplankton</b>. This means I want to target <b>animals</b> and in the size range of 0.2-20 mm.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nl6W0QpAQgY/Tc2kWXQIm-I/AAAAAAAAAHw/zCEoRIGmkcQ/s1600/raf+net.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nl6W0QpAQgY/Tc2kWXQIm-I/AAAAAAAAAHw/zCEoRIGmkcQ/s320/raf+net.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plankton net cleaning</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I also have to consider the environmental conditions of where I want to sample. In the North Sea for example, the water is quite shallow and murky and a little bit colder than in the English Channel. The zooplankton population here tends to be a little bit smaller. For instance, very abundant around here is a copepod species called Temora Longicornis, adult females are about 1mm in length.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The standard way of sampling mesozooplankton is to deploy a 0.2mm mesh sized WP2 plankton net. "WP2" stands for the type of net, it defines the net diameter (usually 57cm) and the proportions of the net. Combining 2 nets together like in the pic to your left makes a "bongo" net.<br />
<br />
However I selected a smaller net with a 0.12mm mesh. The picture above shows the little net I used and the "anatomy" of a plankton net .<br />
<br />
We towed the net slowly for a few minutes and then we recovered the sample. Copepods are delicate and sensitive to light, I need them to stay alive for my experiments so I took a few measures to limit the stress as much as possible. I delicately emptied the cod end into a darkened carboy and made sure the copepods had plenty of water to swim about. Soon I will show you a few pictures of my little ones.<br />
<br />
Back at the lab I started sorting them out under the microscope and I set up a culture. They are now reproducing and swimming in my buckets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><br />
<div><br />
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-80232960992405882572011-05-03T21:01:00.002+01:002011-05-03T21:24:37.831+01:00Experiments...in the kitchen!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">I have never been great at planning my evening meals nor my lunch boxes unfortunately, so often I found myself opening all the cupboards in the kitchen trying to scrape something up together or even just ending up with a sandwich. I am generally a good cook and I do like cooking when I have the time and the motivation (when others are there to benefit from it too basically). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So...In light of all the above, I started daring a little and experimenting with my dinners, implementing a good and solid scientific method "cough cough". Kind of. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To start with I needed an hypothesis;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><blockquote>Hypothesis 1: It is possible to make a delicious meal under 20 minutes.</blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The experimental design involved trying to make something decent in the shortest time possible...and with whatever I had in the cupboard. That's because, as I have already mentioned, there is no way I was going to think before hand what to have for dinner (I only have room for plankton related planning at present, thus my internal memory is full). And because I hate shopping, there was no way I would actually drag myself to the supermarket unless moths were the only thing left in stock. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(I do occasionally stop at the corner shop though...well you know...when the milk turns into yogurt I need to replace it).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first experiment I attempted involved freezer related "stuff" plus some pasta and half a tomato that was in desperate need to be used up. While I put the pasta to boil (10 minutes), I chopped the tomato up then I added the frozen peas and prawns that I scavenged from the freezer and mixed with a pinch of salt and herbs. Then I microwaved the whole lot together. Oh! and for a touch of class I added a couple of drops of the lovely truffle oil that my friend Liz got me for Christmas...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once I drained the pasta and added a knob of butter I splattered the "sauce" on top and proceeded eating it. The result wasn't as bad as I thought, a little tasteless maybe...well I wouldn't pay for it in a restaurant but I think I had worse things. But then again I was late for the comedy show at the Norwich Play House so I just had to be happy with that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For my second attempt I actually put a little more effort in (considering the first time around my effort level was 0). I discarded the freezer in favour of mystery cupboards 1 and 2 and the fridge. I found:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the fridge:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li>out of date tofu (only 5 days)</li>
<li>wrinkled up pepper</li>
<li>a sorry looking leek</li>
<li>some shriveled up carrots </li>
</ul><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FaBU4-EyuSs/TcBcVLU8XYI/AAAAAAAAAHc/N_AWC2T6H8c/s1600/IMAG0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FaBU4-EyuSs/TcBcVLU8XYI/AAAAAAAAAHc/N_AWC2T6H8c/s320/IMAG0018.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strange looking barley/lentil grainy thing</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">In the cupboards:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li>lentils</li>
<li>strange looking barley/lentil grainy thing, left behind from a previous housemate since 2009 (see pic)</li>
<li>out of date saffron (surely being a dried spice it never goes off?) best before 2009 </li>
</ul><br />
<br />
I chopped the sorry looking veggies and then I mixed them all together with the other items in a pan, adding white wine and stock to stop the whole thing from sticking and adding spices and salt as I wanted.<br />
<br />
I think the experiment was a success, I did like the result and I will make it again!<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1WsmDPvYlXU/TcBcW-W2R_I/AAAAAAAAAHg/ZaA5-OTKxl0/s1600/IMAG0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1WsmDPvYlXU/TcBcW-W2R_I/AAAAAAAAAHg/ZaA5-OTKxl0/s320/IMAG0016.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Experiment 2 results</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I have to mention that hopefully soon I will be able to find the motivation to cook properly again, my partner is finally coming home from Qatar to stay and not just to visit! Finally after so many years. Maybe he can cook too... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-28814098998495820062011-05-01T14:38:00.000+01:002011-05-01T14:38:52.821+01:00Where is the good in goodbye?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bSOhaef2ohY/Tb1a_J9vyuI/AAAAAAAAAHU/wmoEsrvaC7E/s1600/228274_10150166810511262_587116261_7080781_1575839_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bSOhaef2ohY/Tb1a_J9vyuI/AAAAAAAAAHU/wmoEsrvaC7E/s320/228274_10150166810511262_587116261_7080781_1575839_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raf & Elena</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">For the past 4 months Elena, a PhD student from Vigo University, has been in Norwich to work with me and Moritz at UEA. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We had quite a lot of fun trying to compare different techniques to measure dissolved oxygen and she helped me greatly with my poor maths. I don't dislike maths, actually I quite like it, is just that I haven't really used it for years and my brain is taking a while to tune to it again. Well...I never was particularly good at it to be honest but I am sure I can improve. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, Elena has now gone back to Spain and I will miss her greatly. Parting from friends and family is never easy, I thought that by now I would be used to it. My family lives in Italy and I live in the UK so I practice a lot on them and on my partner who works in Qatar. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HsxSBwuhM_0/Tb1bgqcWnOI/AAAAAAAAAHY/cSlhDH0H6uA/s1600/SAM_4448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HsxSBwuhM_0/Tb1bgqcWnOI/AAAAAAAAAHY/cSlhDH0H6uA/s320/SAM_4448.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elena and "Respi", her microelectrode</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">But unfortunately it turns out that, you may get used to say goodbye to someone in particular but each time a new person leaves you still end up feeling deeply sad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think I am a little bit crap with feelings...I don't realize how much I care about someone until it's time to part... But I suppose it's all in the knowing you'll see each other again (or not!).</div><blockquote>"Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love." George Eliot</blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope we'll meet again even if I don't know when. Anyway we still have the secret plan about finding a postdoc in the same place. So to you my friend:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote>"Farewell, my sister, fare thee well.<br />
The elements be kind to thee, and make<br />
Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well".<br />
William Shakespeare</blockquote>And more:<br />
<blockquote>"May you always have work for your hands to do.<br />
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.<br />
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.<br />
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.<br />
May the hand of a friend always be near you.<br />
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you".<br />
Irish Blessing </blockquote>PS: for a godless version may I suggest "life" instead than the word "God"? It is nice to have an option, scientists are seldom religious.<br />
<br />
Can I add: "May Respi be fixed and always give you great data!"<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-19241469134475266432011-04-24T20:56:00.002+01:002011-05-01T14:40:53.681+01:00The Railburn Affair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A couple of friends of mine are raising money for a MS trust charity sky dive so they have organised a murder mystery night.<br />
<br />
Gosh, why did I have to be the seductress?? I wanted to play the role of a man! Apparently the "hot temper" bit of the character description is what made them decide...anyway; we are in 1936...the baron gets murdered at the hotel where we are all staying. Here the roles:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.host-party.com/">http://www.host-party.com</a><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" height="206" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tableheader" height="16" style="background-color: #3d3527; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: white; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="138">Character</td><td class="tableheader" colspan="2" height="16" style="background-color: #3d3527; border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: white; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="375">Descriptions</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Jake Daniels<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">Bartender</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Jake travels town to town getting work where he can find it. Bartending during prohibition is an odd occupation indeed. Jake’s real income comes from accessory sources: moonshine bootlegging and booking wagers.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXBfBmWLYLU/TbHjiRAJQuI/AAAAAAAAAGc/JEbdLea0X68/s320/Jake.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Sylvia Railburn<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">The Baron's Wife</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Sylvia is a sensitive, caring woman, who has always been attracted to the opposite. She married Lawrence Railburn leaving her family and abandoning her aspiring art career.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XP8IYFPjt74/TbHgkce36EI/AAAAAAAAAGE/28rqhGmue3k/s200/Silvya.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Chastity Reynolds<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">The Socialite</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"></div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Attractive and seductive are the words most often used to describe Chastity. Her provocative nature has opened the door to many opportunities and challenges in her life. She attends all the best social events and is widely known among the fashionable elite. Those who know her best say that she is a lush with a hot temper.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d1hV-UNLIq4/TbHkHL4YGFI/AAAAAAAAAGs/9wuMVDMvx2s/s200/Chastity.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Pippa Duright<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">Hotel Manager</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">A proper host in all respects, except for a blaring deficiency in common sense. Philip’s absent-minded demeanor goes beyond common forgetfulness; his absolute disregard for the reality around him translates into a humorous, often ludicrous way of life. Many of his loyal patrons have known and appreciated this trait for many years during their free stays at his hotel.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CPG-qXT9ABk/TbHgTC6dVHI/AAAAAAAAAF0/ah0CADUQUF4/s200/Farah.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Amos<br />
Hobo<br />
<br />
<br />
</td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">To avoid an ugly and costly lawsuit the Western Pacific Railroad faced for unnecessary violence against a freeloader, the Company has given Amos (no one knows his real name) a complimentary vacation package to their most popular destination.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NepOEqOZY3Q/TbHkj87qNaI/AAAAAAAAAG0/uu2IoxoZgFU/s320/Amos.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Sissy Bucks<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">The Railsburn Accountant</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Private accountant for Lawrence Railburn. Seymore is a human calculator and a shrewd businessman. After spending a career in public and private accounting, Seymore is preparing for an early retirement next year in the Bahamas.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0s_Cw9_w7Gc/TbHltKGSrrI/AAAAAAAAAHA/Q-XGCip2TLE/s320/sissy.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Lolita<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">Lady of the Night</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Lolita spends most of her nights at the hotel bar. While she is not a member of the hotel, her hospitality services are highly regarded by the guests and staff alike.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aDLo9XzdJXQ/TbHj2ZcBNrI/AAAAAAAAAGk/piIUfQXIAgE/s200/Lolita.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Amber Bookly<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">Personal Secretary</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Recently hired, Ms Bookly is the precise and punctual secretary responsible for the Baron’s personal and professional affairs. She is a librarian with a wild side.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4eFWt-q_d3c/TbHnBgFqnVI/AAAAAAAAAHI/LF3ho0ikzDI/s200/Amber.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Sally Major<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">The Sadistic Nurse</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Sadistic Hotel nurse who’s remedy for all ailments is through torture or other infliction of pain.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8WUsgZd2VM/TbHgikz_VcI/AAAAAAAAAGA/92FmT1GoIl4/s200/nurse.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Maria LaWenta<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">The Chambermaid</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Loyal servant and maid of the Railburn manor. She often travels with the Baron and Baroness to make foreign accommodations more hospitable. A young South American beauty, she has worked for the Railburn’s since the Baron made her acquaintance during a business trip to her country ten years ago.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwqQqE3BZo8/TbHghXqYZgI/AAAAAAAAAF8/RQtOqPLHt1c/s200/Maria.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Josh Railburn<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">Son of Lawrence Railburn</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">A struggling artist with a flamboyant style, Josh is the only child of Lawrence and Sylvia Railburn. Josh has had few interactions with his family since a falling out during the previous year.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w1WczVS7Jig/TbHmZXOh_2I/AAAAAAAAAHE/VQVC1PSJg7s/s200/Josh.jpg" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="138">Johnny Fabulous<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">Hotel Musician</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></td><td align="left" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="264">Comedian, dancer and piano player extraordinaire, Johnny is the consummate vaudville entertainer. Quick with a joke and known for his ability to turn any conversation into a song.</td><td align="center" bg="#FFFFFF" class="tablebody" height="174" style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="middle" width="103"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bKQEdiqMvqU/TbHlMF3dgMI/AAAAAAAAAG4/f1WteYOVBuI/s200/Quincy.jpg" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TT-yTFDBI8/TbHo7sw4ZvI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/iAKjPmIsvr8/s1600/SAM_4619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6TT-yTFDBI8/TbHo7sw4ZvI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/iAKjPmIsvr8/s320/SAM_4619.JPG" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">The pre-game clue told us about some events published in the news regarding the Baron's business. Then the evening started with the discovery of the body with a broken bottle next to it.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The game was composed by 3 clue rounds, some to reveal to everyone, some to keep secret.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We all had fun..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">SPOILER ALERT, if you plan to paly the same game don't read on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-guSUWplP2io/TbDJZe_hb5I/AAAAAAAAAFc/1FJPoYTYinE/s1600/SAM_4651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-guSUWplP2io/TbDJZe_hb5I/AAAAAAAAAFc/1FJPoYTYinE/s320/SAM_4651.JPG" /></a>At the final round we all had a go at guessing who did it. I thought it was Sylvia, she had 4 motives<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span>- the husband kept cheating on her (even had an illegitimate daughter: Amber)<br />
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- the husband really put their son's art down and she loved her son<br />
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- she was in love with the accountant and wanted to get rid of the baron<br />
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- she would inherit everything<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Some of us believed it was Amos as the clues hinted to some sort of organised arrangement for the hobo to kill the "big guy" but again he was innocent. Jake attempted to hire him when he found his girlfriend Maria in the shower with the baron but also Sylvia and Josh were discovered plotting the same thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In the end the real murder was Josh, the son. the main motives were</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">- his father didn't accept he was gay and dis honed him </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">- his father laughed at his artistic career and kept putting him down</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">- his father cheated repeatedly on his mother and mistreated her</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Apparently there are several versions of the game. You can pick different time frames but also scenarios such as fairy tales etc. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-11966983982709557052011-04-22T20:24:00.010+01:002011-05-27T13:35:16.452+01:00Introduction to Plankton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">So far I haven't been really talking much about my science in this blog, but It's because I want to introduce things slowly. Today I would like to start from the basics and introduce Plankton. So...what is it?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Several scientific terms are derived either from the Greek or Latin. The word plankton, for example, is from the Greek for "drifters". It is because those things that are called plankton are very small and therefore not strong enough to actively move against underwater currents. Although some can move up and down (vertically) in the water column, others cannot move at all and just....drift. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">There are different types of plankton, classified depending on their size but also depending on their functional groups. The latter means that plant, animals and bacteria that are considered "planktonic" have different names.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Phyto</b>plankton: unicellular plants (they are photosynthetic). Phyto is from the Greek for plant.</li>
<li><b>Zoo</b>plankton: animals (they eat other zooplankton and phytoplankton). Zoo is from the Greek for animal.</li>
<li><b>Ichthyo</b>plankton: eggs and larvae of fish. They are temporary plankton, once they reach adulthood they become NEKTON - free swimming animals that move independent of water motion. Ichthyo is from the Greek for fish.</li>
<li><b>Bacterio</b>plankton: bacterias (they live everywhere!). </li>
</ul></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Here a quick sketch to show you what I mean (not to scale!!!)</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9T8D1twjGfg/TbHQngSKODI/AAAAAAAAAFk/_0ua7F-2zfE/s1600/plankton+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9T8D1twjGfg/TbHQngSKODI/AAAAAAAAAFk/_0ua7F-2zfE/s400/plankton+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plankton sketch (not to scale)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUs2GcLcYhY/TbHVS--VceI/AAAAAAAAAFo/JVMjOHOZS4U/s1600/plankton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUs2GcLcYhY/TbHVS--VceI/AAAAAAAAAFo/JVMjOHOZS4U/s400/plankton.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plankton. From: <a href="http://www.duke.edu/web/nicholas/bio217/jrc25/impacts.html">http://www.duke.edu/web/nicholas/bio217/jrc25/impacts.html</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The size classification is based on certain metric ranges and it can be independent of the type of plankton, like this:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mega-plankton 20+ mm e.g. Jellyfish</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Macro-plankton 2mm - 20mm </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meso-plankton 0.2mm - 2mm e.g. larger copepods</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Micro-plankton 20µm - 200µm e.g. most phytoplankton</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nano-plankton 2-20 µm </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pico-plankton 0.2-2 µm e.g. bacteria & small phyto</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Femto-plankton < 0.2 µm e.g. viruses</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">PS: µm is called micro-metre</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can be a little more precise if you want and take it a step further combining the plankton type with the size, like this:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meso-zoo-plankton</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pico-phyto-plankton</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not all the combinations can make sense thought! As you can see the biodiversity in the world of plankton is enormous. My areas of interest are mesozooplankton and phytoplankton.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why do we study plankton?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From <a href="http://www.sahfos.ac.uk/research/research-home.aspx">http://www.sahfos.ac.uk/research/research-home.aspx</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: large;">Plankton as indicators of the health of the oceans</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">At the base of the marine foodweb, the free floating plant life of the sea (phytoplankton) provide food for the animal plankton (zooplankton) which in turn provide food for many other marine organisms. The carrying capacity of marine ecosystems in terms of the size of fish resources and recruitment to individual stocks as well as the abundance of marine wildlife (e.g. seabirds and marine mammals) is highly dependent on variations in the abundance, timing and composition of the plankton.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">These organisms also play a crucial role in climate change through the export of the important greenhouse gas CO2 to the deep ocean by carbon sequestration in what is known as the 'biological pump'. Without this process concentrations of CO2 would be much higher in the atmosphere and the climate of the world would be much warmer. Apart from playing a fundamental role in the earth's climate system and in marine foodwebs, plankton are also highly sensitive indicators of environmental change and provide essential information on the 'ecological health' of our seas.</span></div><br />
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</span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-151707771044739522011-04-16T18:41:00.005+01:002011-04-23T09:41:03.435+01:00Game and Country Fair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rQZfEmeraog/TanBAuUZzdI/AAAAAAAAAEk/xpk_MF7TJb0/s1600/SAM_4574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rQZfEmeraog/TanBAuUZzdI/AAAAAAAAAEk/xpk_MF7TJb0/s320/SAM_4574.JPG" width="320" /></a>Today I went to the East Anglian Game and Country Fair. There were a few shows on, I particularly liked the owls and the birds of pray demonstrations. I don't know very much about birds but the owners were very passionate about the subjects so I decided to look up at the differences between the types of bird.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6wq2WPwijF4/TanBd-TurXI/AAAAAAAAAEs/hR2BSxBlpaI/s1600/SAM_4570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6wq2WPwijF4/TanBd-TurXI/AAAAAAAAAEs/hR2BSxBlpaI/s320/SAM_4570.JPG" width="240" /></a>It seems that owls are also classified as birds of pray but NOCTURNAL (hunt at night), while birds like falcons are diurnal (hunt during the day). That is why their eyes are so different. The eyes of an owl are incredibly large, it's one of the traits that makes them so interesting. I am a marine scientist so I cannot help comparing their physiological characteristics to the ones of fish living in the deep twilight zone of the ocean. Some of those fish have evolved very large eyes which, I believe, is an evolutionary trait to help taking in more light. I suppose the basic principle being that, if you increase the surface area of the eye, that increases the light intake and ultimately improving vision in darker environments. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G9ZHxpmIlzQ/TaqwdqUrxRI/AAAAAAAAAE4/0K64xn8dgKQ/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G9ZHxpmIlzQ/TaqwdqUrxRI/AAAAAAAAAE4/0K64xn8dgKQ/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://afishblog.com/?p=10">http://afishblog.com/?p=10</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Usually a very good trick in nature, to maximize surface-area, is to shape things spherically or round-like, e.g cells or eggs! This is to help exposure to whatever they need/want to be exposed to (in poor words). In the case of eyes I think it would be evolutionary dangerous to have them completely spherical and bulging out too much because they are delicate and it would be difficult to keep them protected. Making them bigger often works better. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you want to know more about owl's eyes:<br />
<a href="http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Owl+Physiology&title=Vision"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Owl+Physiology&title=Vision</span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cRo76U61cnY/TanBOi7ierI/AAAAAAAAAEo/qSQRH4MicoI/s1600/SAM_4523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cRo76U61cnY/TanBOi7ierI/AAAAAAAAAEo/qSQRH4MicoI/s320/SAM_4523.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, the fair was full of yummy food. I don't eat red meat but the others enjoyed great hog roasts. I also took advantage of the situation and enjoyed the first Pimms of the season. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8xlClpmnccM/TanBrshchqI/AAAAAAAAAEw/7FV_brsH5kY/s1600/SAM_4527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8xlClpmnccM/TanBrshchqI/AAAAAAAAAEw/7FV_brsH5kY/s320/SAM_4527.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30u53gwzK50/TanAUQxd1WI/AAAAAAAAAEY/1fFaRLqAqzU/s1600/SAM_4565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30u53gwzK50/TanAUQxd1WI/AAAAAAAAAEY/1fFaRLqAqzU/s320/SAM_4565.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The best thing about the whole fair was the dancing sheep show! For days I kept telling everyone I really wanted to see it.<br />
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Richard Savory owns the show, he is from New Zeland but has moved here many moons ago, bringing his sheep farming skills to Norfolk. I suppose I can call his show a sort of "sheep-outreach" programme. The whole performance is very informative, we were introduced to all sorts of different breeds and Richard explained what the main characteristics are and their differences in terms of looks, wool and meat. He then went on sheering one and then the dancing started. Not all of them were up for it but a few attempted a few steps. </div><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-11047836232158698192011-04-13T16:18:00.006+01:002011-04-23T13:05:19.266+01:00things that make you smile<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">n a non-work related note, what makes you smile? It's pretty normal to feel down occasionally but I think that it's important to make the most of what we have. My stress level have never been so high at the moment, strangely "twitchy eye" has not begun yet. I think it happens to most people, is when you are so tired and stressed that one of your eyes start twitching uncontrollably. Comic relief is what I need. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Check this out: <a href="http://www.metro.co.uk/news/858815-rude-herb-facebook-crew-terrorise-supermarket-shoppers">http://www.metro.co.uk/news/858815-rude-herb-facebook-crew-terrorise-supermarket-shoppers</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, one of the things that most definitely can lift my mood up is LOL Cats: <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">http://icanhascheezburger.com/</a> I do love the ceiling cat saga (by the way he lives in Chri's room now).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gc1H0aO8v7c/TaW5bGaldyI/AAAAAAAAAEE/i-KZ1TzGEuY/s1600/ceiling_cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gc1H0aO8v7c/TaW5bGaldyI/AAAAAAAAAEE/i-KZ1TzGEuY/s320/ceiling_cat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><--</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.metro.co.uk/news/858815-rude-herb-facebook-crew-terrorise-supermarket-shoppers"></a>Hilarious version VS not-so-hilarious version ( religious version) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> --></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AmLLzLcQH9c/TaW5tdGse9I/AAAAAAAAAEI/yG_tj52rOfk/s1600/ceiling_cat_contemplate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AmLLzLcQH9c/TaW5tdGse9I/AAAAAAAAAEI/yG_tj52rOfk/s320/ceiling_cat_contemplate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzSUtIsQd0Q/TaW50WDZYZI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vTiaruBZif8/s1600/creates-man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzSUtIsQd0Q/TaW50WDZYZI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vTiaruBZif8/s400/creates-man.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also I like to watch my friend Rob when is bakewelled (really really REALLY drunk) and my friend Daaaave, when he generally stands around breaking stuff and/or himself or just when swans come near him (he even has a facebook page about his specialness). But that is a more evil kind of fun I suppose. He cooked me dinner last night so I should be nice to him. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other day for example, I locked Emma in the constant temperature room by mistake...good fun really but only because she could open the door from the inside (I am not that evil).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This morning, on the way to work, Radio 2 played "always look on the bright side of life". It did put me in a very good mood. </div><br />
<div style="color: #003300; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (from Monty Python - Life of Brian)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">words and music by Eric Idle</div><div style="color: #003300; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="color: #003300;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Some things in life are bad</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">They can really make you mad</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Other things just make you swear and curse.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When you're chewing on life's gristle</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Don't grumble, give a whistle</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And this'll help things turn out for the best...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> And...always look on the bright side of life... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Always look on the light side of life...</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: #003300;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">If life seems jolly rotten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">There's something you've forgotten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When you're feeling in the dumps</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Don't be silly chumps</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> And...always look on the bright side of life... <br />
Always look on the light side of life...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: #003300;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">For life is quite absurd</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And death's the final word</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You must always face the curtain with a bow.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> So always look on the bright side of death </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Just before you draw your terminal breath</span><br />
<div style="color: #003300;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Life's a piece of shit</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">When you look at it</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You'll see it's all a show</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Keep 'em laughing as you go</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Just remember that the last laugh is on you.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And always look on the bright side of life...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Always look on the right side of life... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Come on guys, cheer up!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Always look on the bright side of life...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Always look on the bright side of life...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Always look on the bright side of life...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(I mean - what have you got to lose?)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">What have you lost? Nothing!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Always look on the right side of life...</span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-61704996847543966212011-04-11T19:56:00.005+01:002011-05-15T09:32:10.351+01:00Grow Plankton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello,<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>It has been a while! I must apologize. I have been so busy I had no time to do anything. Busy doing what you may ask...erm...work! The most important experiments of my PhD career have started. I have set up 3 phytoplankton "continuous" cultures (in the pic) and I am now waiting for them to reach a "steady state". <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u-jb8d59yWc/TaNI6gEeXcI/AAAAAAAAAD4/DR7K_ujtnb0/s1600/SAM_4424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u-jb8d59yWc/TaNI6gEeXcI/AAAAAAAAAD4/DR7K_ujtnb0/s400/SAM_4424.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My continuous cultures</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Ok I think a brief explanation is in order. Well, phytoplankton are the little unicellular plants that live and drift in the ocean. There are many different species, of a variety of colours and sizes:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-etYk1fgLkZE/TaNK3bzt5ZI/AAAAAAAAAD8/GFSnVcruqaw/s1600/SAM_4427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-etYk1fgLkZE/TaNK3bzt5ZI/AAAAAAAAAD8/GFSnVcruqaw/s400/SAM_4427.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Batch cultures I grow to feed zooplankton</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
What they need to survive (like any plant), is light and nutrients dissolved in the water. The main nutrients they survive on are Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) [Iron (Fe) too but in minor quantities].<br />
<br />
We grow different species in the lab and in order to do that we have to make some nice nutritious seawater for them, full of those nutrients they like as well as vitamins and minerals. It's a bit like cooking, just mixing powders and/or solutions with strange names all in a bottle.<br />
<br />
Anyway, if you grow them in a closed bottle, the little ones will go on absorbing all the nutrients in the water until they run out. Which means they will eventually die. That is called growth curve:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mV42frXUcx0/TaNMrWHxviI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Z9HCSUEESqA/s1600/growth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mV42frXUcx0/TaNMrWHxviI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Z9HCSUEESqA/s400/growth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://microvet.arizona.edu/Courses/MIC205/Exams/05Exams/05Ex2key.htm">http://microvet.arizona.edu/Courses/MIC205/Exams/05Exams/05Ex2key.htm</a><br />
It says bacterias on the side but the principle applies to phytoplankton too (over DAYS not hours).</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><br />
So...to keep them in the so called stationary phase I started to grow them in a "chemostat" or a continuous culture, where they receive daily rations of nutrients to keep them alive and going for a long time in a state of equilibrium (until the big carboy runs out of media that is). </div><div><br />
</div><div>I must confess, set one of those things up is not that easy, there are a lot of things that go wrong all the time and the stress levels riseeeeeee. Every day there is something new to sort out...one day I will get it perfect! </div><div><br />
</div><div>They are so colourful, nature is amazing.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-1120358924304329522011-04-01T09:31:00.001+01:002011-04-23T13:06:07.904+01:00Just add peas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">At present I have the house all to myself and often I am not very motivated about cooking just for myself (although I love cooking). I must confess that sometimes I buy those ready made soups that sit in an old style milk carton container. They are not great but they are better than the canned ones. Anyway, I have recently found out a great trick to make them taste better. Looking at my sad tomato soup I decided, on the spur of the moment, to add frozen peas to it and dilute it a little with with veggie stock (the instant one). It worked great! You guys should try it too, I recommend it. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-csB_AN9-tes/TZWMNI6diiI/AAAAAAAAACo/zz3T6NQQfUY/s1600/mushy-peas-what-the-hell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-csB_AN9-tes/TZWMNI6diiI/AAAAAAAAACo/zz3T6NQQfUY/s400/mushy-peas-what-the-hell.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://nataliedee.com/110106/mushy-peas-what-the-hell.jpg&imgrefurl=http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php%3Ftopic%3D29431.0&usg=__23UPhIfjsFym3fAP2eqyVkK6siM=&h=306&w=600&sz=45&hl=en&start=0&sig2=Is5-2S6jn6b-IkXxkkIGhw&zoom=1&tbnid=1YcK3Ouy2NvtMM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=237&ei=qYuVTcvnEImi4Qb1leWRDA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpeas%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D815%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1084&vpy=81&dur=4125&hovh=160&hovw=315&tx=215&ty=187&oei=qYuVTcvnEImi4Qb1leWRDA&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0">mushy‑peas‑what‑the‑hell.jpg</a><br />
<br />
My friend Farah and I, have actually discussed this before, peas are great, we should eat more peas! I bet we could add sweetcorn too...yummy.<br />
<br />
I think I will start a page on recipes etc. My mum and my aunties are such great cooks I must share their secrets with you. I am sure that not many people can say no to Italian food. The only problem is that I really don't measure quantities while I cook. I'll come up with something, watch this space!<br />
<br />
<br />
Ciao<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-86764735641403179312011-03-31T19:34:00.001+01:002011-04-23T13:06:43.500+01:00There is method in the madness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello,<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PDUs5JXlbx8/TZTHIZqfkYI/AAAAAAAAACk/yRhqHUZlmcE/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PDUs5JXlbx8/TZTHIZqfkYI/AAAAAAAAACk/yRhqHUZlmcE/s1600/images.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">in the past couple of days (years..) I have been trying to finalize some of the methodology I intend to use to analyse my samples. It started all one morning, the sky was grey outside and the computer took its usual 20 minutes to boot up (all because of some UEA glitch), a pretty standard day if you ask me. Anyway I though..."let's analyse some of the samples I collected on the cruise!". </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I analysed my lab samples before for certain parameters, like Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) on filters. However because my latest samples came from open ocean, a new pre-analytical step has to be added to it. The problem started when I had to decide on the length of time the filters need to be treated. I really think there aren't many scientists that agree on that and it's surprising how many papers aren't clear on the topic! Because of this I will have to find out on my own...by doing some more tests! And in the mist of everything else I need to do really I didn't need this for sure! In the end I cannot just pick a random method, I need to know that works. This is because when the time will come for me to discuss and defend my thesis (yeyyyy...I dream of the day...) I will have to justify all my choices. It wasn't just POC but POP (Particulate Organic Phosphorus) as well and various others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">That morning for a moment I thought...the known quote " there is method in the madness" must come from science...but actually after googling the phrase, it came out that dear old Shakespeare had his finger in it. (I often think that Shakespeare and Oscar Wild must have come up with at least 30% of the world quotes. joking). Anyway this particular phrase comes from Hamlet (1602):</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Polonius:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't. Will you walk out of the air, my lord?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">and the madness continuous... till next time, Ciao.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-81130093555008159812011-03-28T22:03:00.002+01:002011-03-28T22:13:31.483+01:00Why a PhD?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">Hello all,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since I have decided to produce a mixed science-diary blog I should start talking about PhDs I suppose.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6NaKLCnaI28/TZDzQS5tSHI/AAAAAAAAACc/fhDDcCcpKDE/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6NaKLCnaI28/TZDzQS5tSHI/AAAAAAAAACc/fhDDcCcpKDE/s1600/cat.jpg" /></a>Well first of all I want to say, there seems to be a widespread impression that people doing a PhD must be cleverer then others, or something along those lines. I personally don't share this view. Although I met some really clever people at university, I feel that some of us are just very committed characters. From what I have seen so far, the thing that all of us undertaking a PhD have in common, is really just a lot of motivation and commitment for the job and the topic we have chosen. I, for example, don't feel any brainier than any of my friends that are not researchers (except for Dave maybe, ha ha joking) or some of the other "non-scientist" people I have met.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the reasons that made me decide to be a researcher is the belief that, as much as you can try to convince yourself "we don't live to work, we work to live", I think overall we often spend more waking hours at work than in our homes. I mean; most of the day light hours we are at work! There are 168 hours in a week and in average, assuming 8 hours of sleep per day, we are awake 112 hours from Monday to Sunday. We spend about 8 hours per day "in the office" (5 days per week, if you are lucky...) leaving us a mere 72 hours including weekends to do whatever we want/have to do. And to be honest a lot of those hours are spent doing chores and life style maintenance...and thinking about work! Therefore my conclusion is...we must try and pick a job that we enjoy (if possible of course) in order to maximize our chances of happiness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The duration of a PhD, here in the UK, is theoretically 3 years. Where the first year is technically all about reading and training, the second year focuses on data collection and collation and the third...well...that is meant to be the writing up year. To be honest, very rarely someone finishes within this time frame. Particularly if your project is experimental, you are bound to overstep the three year mark (unfortunately often funds run out at the end of year 3...eeek!).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why research then? Well...because I find it challenging and every day is different, I never get bored. I am inquisitive by nature and only through investigation and research I feel fulfilled. No matter the very looong days and working at weekends (occasionally). I, sometimes, can feel tired and a little down but then nothing is perfect and of course everyone has bad days, it's life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have noticed how each and every one of us in my office has a different opinion about this. We all have very different backgrounds and come from all over the world. Some, like me, are mature students, others never had a job. Some enjoy their PhD while others feel exploited, some others get so incredibly stressed that it's heart breaking to watch. It's full of ups and downs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVGWvbv85Rg/TZD5g6BTc2I/AAAAAAAAACg/yhRsG7nXBOc/s1600/phd021111s.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVGWvbv85Rg/TZD5g6BTc2I/AAAAAAAAACg/yhRsG7nXBOc/s640/phd021111s.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1419">http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=142</a>0</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8623057920948032046.post-5147162129718278892011-03-26T21:16:00.001+00:002011-05-01T14:41:33.068+01:00and in the beginning.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ciao, this is my very first blog, ever! I am quite excited but<i> </i>I am also quite wary; I really don't think I have the gift of the word unfortunately so blogging will not come naturally to me.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless I want to try and keep this sort of diary and corner for random thoughts. Mainly because I believe that <b><i><u>there are thing that if you let go once you never see again</u></i> </b>(by I don't know whom)... not just thing but people and memories too. (And...My memory is particularly bad!).<br />
<br />
The idea come to me after I received an old e-mail I sent to myself (from the past) through <a href="http://futureme.org/?redirect=1">http://futureme.org/?redirect=1</a> I then thought; "wouldn't it be cool to read about the things that I did during my PhD? the tears, the laughter and all that comes with that?" And also...science needs to be more interesting for people, I want to try to be an ambassador for science and do my little for the world.<br />
<br />
A few friends of mine are keeping blogs and I think they are great! Check Emma's one: <a href="http://sowhataboutseaweed.wordpress.com/">http://sowhataboutseaweed.wordpress.com/</a> she is very expressive and interesting.<br />
<br />
I have some plans for this blog which involve getting my friends to introduce themselves and talk about what they do. I also would like to add a section on my research topic for whoever is interested in plankton (I am...ha ha). I intend to add bits about my hobbies too if I get the chance, so hopefully I'll end up with a little about everything.<br />
<br />
Introducing myself, well what can I say without being boring. I suppose my profile will tell you all you need to know. What I can add is that at present I am going trough a very intense period of my life. I am in my second year of my PhD and although a PhD is stressful throughout I believe that there is nothing as stressful as when you are planning and carrying out your experiments and data collection. They will determine the success of the whole enterprise and pretty much your happiness for the next 2 years... more later!<br />
<br />
Ciao</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1