The Light at the End of the Tunnel
So on Tuesdays and Thursdays I get up at 5:30 AM so that I can go walking from 6 AM – 10 AM before I teach at 11 AM. Last semester I had to get up even earlier so that I could walk before my 9:30 AM class. As we transitioned from fall into winter, it of course got both darker and colder in the morning, which is very demotivating for someone who is basically powered by the sun.
But today was the first day I noticed that it is finally finally getting lighter outside. Not a lot lighter, but lighter.
It was still cold as all hell, but as I was turning around in Bowness to head back to campus, the sky was definitely lighter.
YAY.
I NEED LIGHT.
This Week’s Science Blog: Does It Smell Dark in Here?
So apparently neurobiologists have genetically altered mice to smell light (MICE CAN SMELL PHOTONS NOW BUT I’M STILL STUCK WITH NOTHING, WTF?) with the goal to better understand how olfaction really works.
The reasoning behind this is that, while odors are obviously the best means by which to study olfaction, the odors themselves are so complex that we’re usually left with more problems than answers. Light, on the other hand, makes things easier.
So these scientists “made the nose act as a retina” in order to better characterize the patterns of activation within the brains of the rodents.
What did they find out?
First off, they found out that the structural patterns of olfactory activation in the brain does not on its own describe exactly how olfaction works.
Second, apparently the timing of the “sniff” plays an important role in how odors are perceived. Weird.
Anyway. Because I’m biased I do a disproportionate number of TWSBs on smell. And solar flares.
Today’s song: Circus by Britney Spears
This Week’s Science Blog: Microwaves – The Answer to Everything
I knew about the microwave background “noise,” but this video describes it and the paradox very well.
I also realize that I missed last week’s science blog, so here’s a link to the Internet Encyclopedia of Science. I know it’s no substitute for one of my obnoxious science reviews, but it’s certainly a lot more useful.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
RED BULL!!
Today’s song: Touch the Sky (Original) by Iambic
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