biology on Technabob...

DNA sequencing is complex stuff, frequently used in biological research. Having worked in a hospital in the past and having been around lots of lab equipment I can say that sort of stuff is generally gigantic and very expensive. Now, a company called Oxford Nanopore has a new DNA sequencer…

Made famous by its deadliness, the Ebola virus was first described in 1976. It was made famous by The Hot Zone… by Richard Preston and some small epidemics that thankfully didn’t kill off most of the planet. While it never reached the epidemic levels feared, it’s still interesting to check

I still remember that day in 7th grade when we walked into biology class and pinned to a bunch of trays were dead frogs. The teacher gave us all a scalpel and we set about cutting the stinky preserved frogs up to see what is inside. I will remember the…

Now that we’ve seen Mario with his clothes off, what else could you possibly ask for next? How about a look at his innards? Well, it is the Internet, and there is something for everyone out there, right?…

A rare genetic disease called Williams Syndrome causes “mild to moderate mental retardation, elfin facial features and gregarious social behavior;” a recent study published in the journal Current Biology …theorizes that children with Williams Syndrome also have no racial bias. Maybe we should call it Legolas Syndrome.

Seriously though, it

Ah, Biology 101. We may be from different nations and cultures, but I’m sure those of us who have gone through that class share very similar experiences: The fear. The excitement. The jumping, twitching animals. The smell. Oh, the smell. The teacher who repeatedly hit the catfish in the head…

I now suspect that a real-life Dr. Wily exists, and that he resides in Turkey: veterinarian Erhan Elibol performed a cesarean operation on a pregnant sheep. The lamb was stillborn, but perhaps it was all for the best, because the lamb had a human-like face. Vets think that the lamb’s…

In a study published in Nature magazine, a group of scientists revealed that human cells may be induced to regenerate appendages in the same way that salamanders do. Meaning we can also grow salamander limbs. Kidding.

Apparently the cells on the stumps of a salamander “only” need to revert to…

Etsy jewelry Emily Eps’ creations are perfect for any venue except science classes on test days, unless you want everyone staring at your neck for clues about red and white blood cells. No cheating, kids.

Geeky jewelry is common, but it’s usually restricted to the realms of science fiction rather…

Ever wanted to hug an accurate representation of the Black Death bacterium? Or punt an Athlete’s Foot fungus for all those embarrassing years in high school? Or play house with a sperm cell and an egg cell? Or stage a play featuring a cast of microbes? Rejoice, you nerd: the…