Human Evolution in 5 Skeletons

Summer 2023 - Climate Change Status with Michael Mann

Sciencing Himalayan Salt Lamps

Decoding Watson on PBS

I would like to thank John Kwok for alerting me to this new PBS documentary about James Watson, the controversial co-discoverer of DNA structure. I was tagged in a post about it on Facebook by John who saw Professor Ken Miller of Brown University share a link to the film. I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Miller's assessment of the documentary. It is unafraid in confronting the racism and sexism of Watson while allowing the story of the discovery of the double helix to shine.

I must add one note. Though the story of discovery is certainly abbreviated, I think it worth mentioning one character who is left out in this telling.  Jerry Donohue, an organic chemist from Wisconsin of whom few have ever heard. Donohue provided a crucial course correction right before Watson put the puzzle together (The Double Helix pg. 120).  Watson had been using cardboard models of the four nitrogenous bases that constitute DNA. He made these flat cut-outs based the structures published in The Biochemistry of Nucleic Acids by J. N. Davidson.  Watson was using the cardboard models to try and conjure how the bases might fit together to form a helix (which he knew must be the structure from Rosalind Franklin's famous photograph 51.) However, these cardboard models were misshapen. Homologous oxygen atoms poking out from the thymine and guanine models were in the enol (O-H) rather than the keto (=O)  form.  Jerry Donohue pointed this out and only then could Watson make the key observation that adenine pairs with thymine just as guanine pairs with cytosine. It was as though Donohue passed him the ball on the one-yard line!

When I read Watson's The Double Helix for the first time last year I was startled to learn about Jerry Donohue and hope he is also remembered for this serendipitous correction!

Frances H. Arnold Nobel Lecture

If you are or know a graduate student, pay particular attention to this starting at around 17:55.

Climate Change Conspiracy - DEBUNKED

2018 Chemistry Nobel Prize Winner Frances H. Arnold

Astronaut Chris Hadfield on truth and fiction in SPACE!!!

Moon Speech

Today a student asked me why we don't send people to the moon anymore. I did not have a good answer but I showed her this clip from JFK's famed Moonshot speech. It gave me chills.

What can be done with CRISPR-Cas9 Technology?

A Capella Science - Molecular Shape of You

A student e-mailed me a link to this awesome video last week. I can't contain my excitement about it. So many key concepts in Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry covered so cleverly and is such a short time. Catchy!!!

Dr. Jennifer Doudna in conversation with Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee

Amy Shira Teitel: Excellent Eclipse History!

Ed Yong presents at Chautauqua Institution

John Oliver on Media Hyping Science

Why no aliens yet?

President Obama and Bill Nye Talk Science and Politics

Diatomaceous Art

“The Diatomist” by Matthew Killip

The Diatomist from Matthew Killip on Vimeo.

"Post-Doc 'Til You Get Enough"

"Post-Doc 'Til You Get Enough"

[1st Verse]
Lovely Is The Feelin' Now
Fever, Temperatures Risin' Now
Paper (Ah Paper) Is The Science The How
That Makes It Happen It Asks All Questions Why (Ooh)
So Get Closer (Closer Now)
To P.I. Me, Now Just Fund Me
 'Til You Don't Know How (Ooh)

[Chorus]
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough

[2nd Verse]
Fund Me And I Feel On Fire
Ain't Nothin' Like A Lab Desire (Ooh)
I'm Melting (I'm annealing)
Like Hot Spindle Fiber Formation (Ah Formation)
Lovely Where We're At (Ooh)
So Let Lab Take Us Through The Hours
I Won't Be Complanin'
'Cause This Is Lab Power (Ooh)

[Chorus]
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough (Ooh)

[3rd Verse]
Triage by NIH Despise
This Cycle (Ah This Cycle)
Fear Shines In My Eyes (Ooh)
So Let Lab Take Us Through The Hours
 I Will Be Complanin' (Yeah Yeah)
'Cause Your Pay Is just Alright, Alright

[Chorus]
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough

[Refrain] Lovely Is The Feeling Now I Won't Be Complanin' (Ooh Ooh) The Science Is Lab Power

[Chorus]
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
Keep On With The Science Don't Stop
Post Doc 'Til You Get Enough
(Ooh)

[Ad-Lib To Fade]

Lyrics modified by Kristopher Hite

Ed Yong gets Standing O at TED