Nerdy Science Blog

Secret to eternity? CENTRIFUGE!

(link)

Popularity: 1% [?]

It’s good to have dates from different fields so that you can know a lot of things which you’re not suppose to know.

I googled this “Reasons to Date a Microbiologist“.

- We do everything 10x 40x 100x bigger and better
- Size doesn’t matter
- We know the meaning of complement
- We always wear protection and use sterile technique
- We can run our own pregnancy and STD tests
- We do it on a stage
- We don’t wear anything under our lab coats
- We know the importance of direct contact during conjugation
- We wash our hands before and after everything
- We love Coronavirus with a lime

(link [pic])

Popularity: 2% [?]

(link [via])

Popularity: 1% [?]

In every one thousand people, you can find one who has synesthesia.

ScienceDaily (Dec. 30, 2007) — Surprising as it may seem, there are people who can smell sounds, see smells or hear colours. One person out of every thousand has synesthesia, a psychological phenomenon in which an individual can smell a sound or hear a color. Most of these people are not aware they are synesthetes: they think the way they experience the world is normal.

Is synesthesia abnormal? I don’t think so. My definition for normal is common behaviour practised by the majority. Says who that majority is always correct? Sometimes I don’t like election, it shows the violence of majority.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Stempeutics Research is investing RM30 million (~USD10 million) on stem cell research and therapy so that stem cell therapy will be available and affordable to everyone.

Stempeutics Research, which is part of the India-based Manipal Education and Medical Group, became the first foreign company to set up a stem cell research and therapy centre here.

Stempeutics Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd will promote stem cell activity locally and focus on cutting edge research, therapeutics and therapy in the field of regenerative medicine.
Manohar said the Manipal Group would be investing about RM30 million in the next three to four years on the centre, to be located at the Technology Park Malaysia in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

(news)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Do you remember “anatomically correct bone socks“?

I came across another pair of socks which showed all the sites for acupuncture. Acupuncture is traditional Chinese treatment which uses thin needles to insert to specific points on the body to relieve pain, cure diseases, or anesthetize body part for surgery.

I would not recommend you to acupuncture yourself with needles after wearing this pair of socks as the acupoints on the socks may not match the one on your legs (depends how you wear your socks). You may massage the acupoints.

(link)

Popularity: 1% [?]

In my opinion, science and politics are something that should be co-existed. Without the help of politics, the development of science will be slowed down a lot. However, politicians will choose which “science” to develop for their own favor, which I think is bad.

“What these scientists say publicly should not be vetted through the science minister’s and the prime minister’s offices to ensure they contain the government’s key messages,” said Eric Abetz, industry and science spokesman for the opposition. “This is politicization of science.”

(news)

Popularity: 1% [?]

Received an email from PK Tan, editor in chief for Malaysia Travel Guide, hoping more people are aware of the wildlife conservation.

• 14% of Malaysia’s mammals are listed by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) as endangered
  30 species of turtle ever discovered, only 7 are left.
• Less than 1,500 Borneo Pygmy elephants are found in the world.
• It is estimated that there are less than 20 Sumatran rhinoceros left in Borneo.
• The Bornean species of orangutan is highly endangered, and the Sumatran species is critically endangered, according to the IUCN Red List of mammals, and both are listed on Appendix I of CITES.

How can you help?

• On the 1st Jan 2008: Blog / Write a post that relates to the Malaysia wildlife conservation. It can be to do with your usual topic or totally just about a Malaysia wildlife conservation issue.
• Inform other people about this campaign and explaining it in terms they understand.
• Support the campaign: Add our banner to your site and spread the word.

I will be writing one post on both my personal blog and this blog to support this campaign. Hope you all can participate in this campaign as well. We can’t re-educate people, but we can make people aware of this issue through mouth spreading.

Visit: Malaysia Wildlife Conservation Awareness Campaign

Popularity: 7% [?]

Police can check the background of criminal via Chemistry Department’s DNA database.

With the passing of the DNA Identification Act police investigations on the background of convicts would be eased by checks with Chemistry Department’s DNA database.

“With this system, once a suspect is arrested we can straightaway check on the person’s background and profile, if he has previous convictions,” said Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha. “However, we have to wait for the passing of the DNA Identification Act because we must have an Act to refer to, as this matter involves human rights,” he added.

Does this means that they can also use the DNA database to check if the convict’s family has criminal records (such as family raping history line) as well?

Popularity: 1% [?]

I read this from Dani Rodrik’s blog:

In my experience, though, too many students who are interested in making a difference in the real world go on to the Ph.D–and for the wrong reason. As I always tell students asking me for advice on this, the only good reason to want to do a Ph.D. is that you want to be an assistant professor at some academic institution. If you want to deepen your knowledge or enhance your credentials, go and work out there for four or five years (past a high-quality master’s program), and you will be infinitely more ready to rise up in the world than if you had spent that time doing a Ph.D. And having done well in a master’s program, or having enjoyed it, is no guarantee that you are suited to a Ph.D. program.

Popularity: 1% [?]