Field of Science

Hiatus

I was hoping to avoid this by maybe writing some future-posts to appear during the holidays, but time just ran out on me. So I'll be going on holiday-induced hiatus for the next two weeks, while I enjoy some time with my family and turn off the science brain for a bit (and work my way through the most AMAZING CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER aka the complete works of Shakespeare =D )

I've got plans for when I get back though! Starting from January I'm going to try and keep to the whole twice-a-week-blogging I managed last term, which will include, among other things:

  • Book reviews. I've been catching up on all the science books that I never quite got around to reading, and I'm planing on writing proper reviews for them. Expect some Stephen Gould, and Schrodinger's 'What is life' among others. (I might even attempt the Stephen Hawking).
  • The molecular clock. I've been wanting to write about this for a while. Hopefully I'll manage to get my thoughts and references together manage something half-way decent.
  • Plants. The course I've chosen for next term is primarily about plant and chloroplast evolution and diversity. As I'll have to read around this subject I'll probably be dissecting some of the papers in my blog, so there will probably be quite a heavy plantsci slant to the papers coming up.
  • More bacteria. As always, I'll be reading papers concerning my project and my major interests, so those will feature as usual.
  • Shakespeare quotes. Oh yes.
I've had a great time blogging this term. Hopefully I can keep it up next year!

Lab Rat would like to wish everyone who is having a holiday a Happy-Holiday!

7 comments:

Psi Wavefunction said...

Have a great holiday! =D (maybe I too should read something non-academic for a change... maybe something in my own language, even! Excited now...)

I'm also gonna disappear offline for a couple of weeks starting next Tues. Actually earlier, since I'm totally swamped with finals, last nanosecond prep for a student-directed seminar, and a crapload of other stuff I'd rather not think about.

Most importantly, I need to manage a pass on a biochem exam in a few hours... >_> *whimper*

I REALLY hate that course, have I mentioned that? Probably only about 50 times this term? Pitty how they can screw up a perfectly interesting subject and suck the very life out of the science of...life. [/minirant]

Happy New Year/Merry Christmas/etc!

Cheers,
-Psi-

John Farrell said...

Enjoy yourself--and the new Shakespeare (O, for a Muse of Fire!) and I look forward to your future posts.

Best for the happy 2010.

Captain Skellett said...

OOH, Shakespeare quotes! Can't wait! Have a great holiday, see you next year!

Hmm... I wonder if I should have a holiday too...

UmmeAbdullah said...

happy holidays..hope u r back soon cz i need to make assgnmnt on structure n role of photosynthetic appararus and pigments !!!!!

Alejandro Montenegro-Montero said...

Have a great holiday!

Regarding your future posts, did you mean the circadian clock?
I work in circadian rhythms so a post on this matter would be great!

Enjoy your vacations!

Lab Rat said...

The circadian clock is way out of my league I'm afraid, I wouldn't know where to start with a post about it!

The molecular clock is the idea that there are 'silent' genes (i.e non-expressed ones) that mutate at a vaguelly constant rate. Therefore comparing the number of mutations in 'silent' genes between two species can give you an idea of their evolutionary relatedness. It's not an idea I'm particularly fond of, and I would very much like to write a post about it. (although given how busy I am just with revision at the moment it might take a while to arrive!)

Alejandro Montenegro-Montero said...

You're right... I'm so into my thesis that whenever i read 'clock', I just assume everyone's talking about circadian rhythms :-p