Nerdy Science Blog

The Kaibo Zonshinzu anatomy scrolls was an artwork painted by Kyoto-area physician Yasukazu Minagaki (1784-1825) in 1819.

Unlike modern anatomical figures which are painless and emotionless, these paintings were realistic showing that the dissected ones are in pain and bleeding.

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I received this mail from Hasanuddin:

Dear Nerdy Science Guys

I enjoyed your spin on science.  Perhaps you’d be interested in one of the
biggest spins on science in a long time.

I am the author of new theory that has been hotly debated on my Scientific
American blog http://science-community.sciam.com/forum.jspa?forumID=300005039
To date, none of those who have commented have found a single flaw with it.
To the contrary, three of the past detractors ultimately supplied three new
lines of supporting evidence that were not used in the original book.

During phase 1 of this campaign, I invitied hundreds of scientists within
the field to the blog.  I wanted fault found with the new model ASAP, because
of its ominous implications.  If the LHC project at CERN does “succeed”
in creating man’s first mini black-hole, then it will be stable – leading
to possible obliteration of all that we know.  Because no fault has been
llocated, I then approached the media.  Nothing.  Not even the fact that a
separate group of concerned scientists filed a lawsuit in Hawaii to halt the
LHC project, has had any affect.

This is why I’m contacting you.  Your blog is read by people I have not
been able to reach.  Please consider running this story as a blog topic.  Any
aspect, I don’t care.  Dialogue is dialogue; only through open debate can
the new model begin to affect change.  If the implications of the model are
correct, there isn’t much time.  LHC is scheduled to start on its maiden
run in the middle of June, this year.

To view the new model for yourself you can freely download it at
http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/u56srb or you can purchase the book, The
Dominium, at most any online bookstore.

Thank you for your help in these matters,

Hasanuddin

I am still reading the book.  The aim of the book is to make people protest to the launching of Large Hadron Collider (LHC) as it might create micro black hole and suck everything on earth into it.

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This is the current Skeptologists logo, but they need a new one.  The Skeptologists held a logo contest and the entries due by Saturday, May 3.

I was thinking if xkcd guy participate in this contest, the logo will be stick-man.

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I can’t stop the funny feelings and feeling like laughing out when I read the one of the highlight in nature news: Swiss dignity law is threat to plant biology.

The Swiss federal government’s ethics committee on non-human biotechnology has mapped out guidelines to help granting agencies decide which research applications deeply offend the dignity of plants — and hence become unfundable.

The funny feelings are just like when I see the fact we are having not enough money but Deputy Prime Minister insisting our second space tourism is on, and the fact where our CSI graduates are jobless after following courses designed by related government departments.

Except when I read the sentence “dignity of plants”, I can laugh it out.

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When I saw this spoon, I hoped the spoon weigh less than 0.1g then it can be used in lab.

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I’ll like to take a break from jobless forensic science graduates and second space tourism issues.

Was real tired of searching of informations, so I start surfing around science blogs for fun.

I surfed one of my subscribed blog, Bitesize Bio, which was introduced by WTJ, admin of this blog. I couldn’t agree anymore seeing this three posts:

• 15 Reasons to Be A Scientist;
• 10 Reasons NOT to be a Scientist.

I’m not a scientist. But apparently, it apply perfectly to a researcher. Here’s the third post.

• Alternative Careers For Scientists. (this one should perfectly apply to our forensic science grads as well.)

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Malaysian Cabinet decided to sponsor another space tourist Dr Faiz Khaleed and they were looking for its budget.  Today Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili told the reporters that there was no money left in his ministry.

The Star:

“Under the mid-term review, I can say that there is zero money. If we want to proceed with the second phase we have to look for money,” Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili told reporters after the launch of the Creativity and Innovation Day 2008 celebrations at KL Tower yesterday.

As the first space trip expense was not planned wisely, which caused the backup space tourist, Dr Faiz Khaleed, could not proceed his space travelling trip.  Even so, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak still did not give up the programme.  He said Dr Faiz will still continue his training and government will think of ways to sponsor Dr Faiz’s luxury space trip.  Guess Dr. Faiz was not as lucky as Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Sheikh Shukor as Sheikh’s trip was funded by Defence Ministry as it bought Sukhoi SU30MKM fighter jets from Russian Government.  Doesn’t the cartoon above reminds you of Dr Sheikh who was sent to space to enjoy satay and other Malaysian food?

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Came across this blog post and it grab my attention – a true story of a cancer survival, twice. For 2 more days, on 24^th April, it will be the cancer survival, Benjamin Rubenstein’s bone marrow’s 5 year old birthday, also his 5 years anniversary of cancer free life. Congratulate to Benjamin.

His wrote his cancer survival story but no publisher wants it. Thanks to blogger.com, he published it in blogspot, have a read when free.

I’ve Still Got Both My Nuts

• ch.1 The Golden Age
• ch.2 Teeter Totter of Life
• ch.3 Welcome to the Good Life
• ch.4 Welcome to the Cancer Life
• ch.5 Bombs Over September
• ch.6 Again
• ch.7 Fix Me

He life was saved by stem cells obtained from a little girl’s umbilical cord. One more true case of stem cell’s treatment saved life.

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Kean Jim showed me a letter wrote by Wyn regarding to the future of forensic science undergraduates in Malaysia (Letter was written in Chinese).

As it is a demand for forensic science in Malaysia, Malaysia Royal Police (PDRM) and Malaysia Chemistry Department (JKM) had introduced the course for Bachelor of Forensic Science degree in local university, USM. The course was designed by them to teach them all the knowledges one needed in investigating crime, handling evidences, court knowledges, and also all the related skills. Wyn mentioned that after they graduate, there was no suitable positions in either PDRM or JKM. Wyn was confused why on earth the course was designed by them if it was not to train forensic professionals to aid in crime investigating. Wyn questioned if the course was designed just for the sack of it without thinking if there was any job vacancies for all the gradutes. PDRM explained that if people graduate with the degree, they need to be a police first before they can join their lab. Becoming a police in Malaysia is not an issue, but there is a minimum requirement as a police candidate, which is that one cannot wear spectacles (vision problems). As you know, science kids are nerds and most of us wear specs. JKM also rejected these undergraduates as they thought these people did not have enough chemistry knowledge (and the course was designed by JKM). Wyn also pointed out that one of the government owned TV channel was showing “Crime Scene Investigation” programme, which attracted more people considering taking forensic science degree.

Wyn felt lost as he did not know how would he do in the future. People who chose to take forensic science degree (as well as other degree) were not dumb, instead they were qualified to study medicine. We chose to do science was simply because we were really passionate in it. The same thing does not only happen on forensic science, but also biotechnology degree as government was promoting it heavily in recent years, and the job prospective in Malaysia is really bad (#).

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I was hanging around BioForum, and I came across this topic, “If u were an ERASER…!”

Then I saw this reply by timjim, “I will erase all the contamination on plates, cell culture and any other important things in the lab! haha”

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