RBoC in Pictures

• The garden is in bloom:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Cats are cute:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• We have a lot of weeds.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Dr. H. thought he wasn't allergic to poison ivy. He was wrong.
  
  
  
  (The picture is from a week and half later, a few of those days with prescription steroids.)
  
  
  
• Ugh, just ugh.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Fun in lab:
  
  
  
  
  

On Books and Shoes

I met my honor's class for the last time today and gave them each a science-related general interest book for summer reading. Among the books I handed out: Bright Earth by Philip Ball (to the Art major), Critical Mass by the same author (to the student interested in nuclear issues and politics), Cities in the Wilderness by Bruce Babbitt (to the student interested in sustainability), and Oxygen (the play) by Carl Djerassi and Roald Hoffmann (to the theater major).

I do this occasionally for non-majors in small (<10 students) classes when I've enjoyed their enthusiasm (and I think they will read and enjoy them). I also give books as graduation presents to our majors. Total cost for the non-major class: $105.73. (Paperbacks, nothing fancy.) I figure I bought these and these for myself recently for no defensible reason^*, so what is $106 to support lifelong learning in science?

 

 

^*Other than my obsession with Reebok Freestyle hitops which I've been wearing for 25 years.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

• Green light corresponds to a wavelength of about 525 nm.
  
  

• Cl₂ is a poisonous green gas
  
  

• A bag of plain m&m's contains 16% green m&m's. However, 20% of the m&m's are green in a bag of the almond or peanut butter variety.
  

  
  

Double Take

One of the coolest things I saw last week:

Gender differences in color perception? (via Lab Cat who always seems to have some nice science-y thing up)

Perhaps this explains why my father in law thinks his maroon coffee pot is the same color as the lavender bits in his granite counter top:

Me: That coffee pot is pretty spiffy.

FIL: Yes, as soon as I saw it I knew we needed to have it.

Me: Oh?

FIL: You know, because of the counter top.

Me: .....Ah...

FIL: I couldn't believe it. I mean, what are the chances of finding a coffee pot the exact same color?

Me: Uh...Okay.

Actually, I suspect the true issue has something to do with his developing cataracts, which according to this, can interfere with color perception.

And one of the weirdest things I saw last week:

Via Language Log, I found this article about research suggesting nerds are effectively "hyperwhite". The Dean has some things to say about it here.

I found this to be very interesting. However, what I find odd is the lack of discussion of geek and nerd culture as distinct in its own right. For example, I don't think everyone finds xkcd as funny as some of us do. My non-geeky, non-nerdy students have no idea who M.C. Escher is. And, of course, there is the general lack of recognition of the Kirk versus Picard debate as a valid intellectual, um, enterprise. I'm wondering how this sort of thing fits in.

Perhaps it is not surprising...

We are plagued by visits from she who shall be called "The Black and White Cat". Perhaps you think this too impersonal? Well, one of our neighbors, who happens to be a member of her family, said "I just call her the little cat" when I asked about her name. The neighbor's partner told our other neighbor ""I call her crybaby because she meows all the time." In any case, The Black and White Cat is almost always in our back yard.

I have been wondering why our backyard is so popular. Several other cats frequent our backyard as well. It is largish, with lots of grass and trees, but not dissimilar from the yards around us.

Then it occurred to me: Our backyard is full of this:



What is it?

A variety of Nepeta or Catmint, also called catnip. It isn't the same variety as "true catnip" (Nepeta Cataria L.) but does have plenty of nepetalactone none the less.

In addition to its well known effect on cats, nepetalactone is also apparently an insect repellent, though how large its effect is seems to be a matter of some debate.

I love this plant. It grows like crazy, flowers for months (the variety I have anyway), tolerates hot sun and lack of water, and I find its bushy overgrown appearance very attractive. The cats do occasionally roll in it, but it is hardy enough to withstand their attentions. Only recently did it occur to me that the cats may be attracted by the catmint.

I am now wondering if I am effectively an enabler. If I embrace the role, perhaps I should be piping Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb into the back yard to give the cats a fuller altered state college-like experience.

Suburban Fireworks Show

Happy 4th!

Enjoy the photos...and for just a little bit of science go here.














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That Would be Apes...

We just ate at a local organic food place with "Monkey" in the name. They say the name is based on a study at the Copenhagan Zoo, indicating chimpanzees prefer organic bananas. (I found a note about this here.)

I do not have the heart to tell them chimps are apes.

Science for Fun

I love science books written for a general audience. Here are a few recent favorites:

1. Color and Light in Nature by Lynch and Livingston
   
   Fabulous pictures and explanations of aurorae, rainbows, sun dogs, glories, mirages and many other light topics. Useful as background material in Intro to PhysChemology 101 courses. Also great for questions asked by 3rd graders. Great coffee table book, for geeks anyway.
   
   
2. Cats Are Not Peas: A Calico History of Genetics by Laura Gould
   
   Good explanation of why almost all calicoes are female. Almost all. Two parts story one part science. Really not recommended if you do not like cats.
   
   
3. The Elements of Murder: A History of Poison by John Emsley
   
   Juicy stuff, this. Murder (obviously), adultery, sex, palace intrigue and actual chemical formulae - what more could one ask for?