h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi there biomass (Michael?). Couldn't help noticing that you are studying microbiology but that your real passion is physics.

Reminded me that I once had a Head of Dept (Virology) who was originally a physicist. He used to frighten us to death with his 'multifactiorial graphs' (with Avogadro's Number of lines (curves) on them). Not quite the thing to inflict on innumerate (micro) biologists!.

Another fave story concerns the fact that he once wanted to inhibit the immune system of some mice. So he persuaded the workshops to make them tiny suits of armour such that only their kneecaps were exposed to a Co-60 source. He then placed the mice onto a turntable so that they all got an even and equal dose of radiation.

If my memory serves me correctly the results were somewhat equivocal because the mice were soi stressed.

Ahhh, those were the days.... real eccentric scientists!

Take care,

Big Al

If by eccentric you mean he was insane I tend to agree with you. We have some strange strange one's in our deptartment also. Oddly enough one is a virologist. During his 3rd year lectures he used to gaze whistfully into space and say "We just used to shove things into mokeys nuts back then, but the animal ethics people won't let you do that now.". As if to say "Ah, those were the days". Not if you were a monkey they weren't.