Why be a Scientist?

I'm a scientist! I absolutely love it, and I can't imagine doing anything else. Today, there's Marches all around the globe for Science, so I thought I'd share a handful of my reasons to be a scientist! It's Earth Day too, happy Earth Day!

A New Beginning, an Old Face, and a lot of Lilt

You know when you don't sleep, so you can't quite function properly that day? And then if that has a knock-on effect on the next night's sleep, the next day is affected too, and so on, in a string of days where you're not quite 100% and can't sleep either? And then after a few days of this you get a decent sleep, you're refreshed and ready, and you feel SO much better despite not having felt that bad over the sleepless days, you are at your best, and it feels amazing?

Microbes versus Orange; part two

Earlier this year ago I set up a timelapse looking at an orange in a jar, and just let it mould up. Then I made a vloggy video of it and put it on YouTube!

Now, way later than originally intended, I've finished to followup video so you can actually see what happens. Hooray!

#MeetThePhD 6: Louise Hatherall; Genetic Inventions + IP Law

#MeetThePhD 6

The idea behind this is to showcase PhD students, give a bit of an idea of what’s going on out there in PhDland, and show to the world what PhD life is like! Perhaps they are thinking of doing a PhD themselves, or just generally want to know more about it. Or they’re already doing a PhD and want to see that they’re not alone in their struggles or successes!

While Friendly Bacteria is a vaguely microbiology-themed blog, for this series of mini-interviews I’m wanting any PhD student no matter the field! I think it will be a fun way to connect with other PhD students we wouldn’t normally be able to get to know, too.

If you’re a PhD student and want to get involved with this, leave a comment here, send me a DM on Twitter ( @friendlybugblog ) or shine the Bacteria-signal into the skies above Aberystwyth and I’ll send you the questions!

Previous ones are here: http://friendlybacteriablog.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/meetthephd

Today we have Louise Hatherall, investigating Intellectual Property law for genetic inventions! Tweets to @TwitTooLou (or @friendlybugblog if you want me)!

366 Days of Friendly Bacteria; My First Year in Review

My blog is a year old! HOORAY! One year ago I posted the very first post; http://friendlybacteriablog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/ready-steady-blog.html

(Although the first post was posted on the 27th not the 28th, so I've made a mistake somewhere... or the leap year thing messes with my timetable or blogspot. Oh well!)

It's been a pretty huge year for me, not just because I occasionally ramble about bacteria on here, but in life generally. So here's my year in review; Year 1 of Friendly Bacteria!

Here Comes Doris!

I live right on the Aberystwyth seafront, which is amazing and I'm very lucky, but when storms hit it can get a bit hairy! After being kept awake by raging winds and the odd roof-tile clattering down past my window, nearly hit in the face by my front door as I left to go to the lab, and then soaked head to toe by driving rain and the high speed winds on my way back home again, I decided to go out into the stormy weather and do a video! Here it is:

Happy Heat; Making it through the 'Danger Zone'

I like the cold. Anything over twenty degrees is a bit too hot for me, and the extra heat from being in full sunlight drives me to skulk from one patch of shade to the next like I'm on a stealth mission 24/7. Other people relish the heat, actively seeking it out.

Everyone has their optimum temperature, and bacteria are no different! From Psychrophiles growing in the fridge, to Thermophiles living in volcanic vents under the sea, different bacteria tolerate different temperature ranges. So what does that mean for us?