Randomramblings

My favorite subject in my first year were the basics of cell biology. But then when we had to choose our major (I really don't know how else to translate that) I went for ecology, so in the end I didn't even have the course about cell biology on your faculty and I'm quite sorry about that. But the molecular major had way too much chemistry for me. Although sometimes I wonder if I should have taken it anyway...
(sorry, I'm in a bit of bad mood today and waxing nostalgic :))

I think this years' Nobel prize for chemistry was awarded for something relatively similar, as far as I understand these things. That guy - the winner - isolated and took a picture of some very important part of a cell that moves around and does all sort of wonders there. It's said that its nature, the mechanics, is more complicated than anything man has ever created, and it's only some million atoms in width. Amazing.

Nadezhda, you're right, it's not really envy that people feel in the presence of people like you, who are presented with a gift of understanding these things, but deep down I guess just everybody would trade places with you; that's what I wanted to say.

Wov, this video is great. Who's that trailer guy / what is that which pulls a lump of dirt behind? It reminds me of huge balloons, around 10 m in diameter, that some poor Chinese take with them to a gas geyser, fill them and bicycle back home. Away with lighters!

Only a quick answer - you're half right in calling it a lump of dirt. They're called lysosomes. The "trailer guy" are dynein motor proteins, "walking" along a microtubule.

Bo - This year's Nobel for chemistry went to Kornberg for research into molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription, the process with which DNA is transcribed in more complex cells, like those of humans (as opposed to procaryotic cells of bacteria). You can see transribed RNA leaving the nucleus (tiny, thread like structures leaving through little holes) and then forming translational ribosomal complexes in cytosol (the "fluid" inside the cell) toward the end of the video.

What fascinates me (and needless to say I'm not very easily impressed) about life is that it is so very structured, so finely regulated, so intricate and yet in its essence so simply logical. It works on the very basic principles of life (concentration gradient and needing energy to counter entropy) and yet it manages to create something this complicated. It manages to "grow" an entire new being out of a union of two cells. Life - on molecular and cellular level is what I am deeply fascinated by.

I don't want to argue about the right term for this, but I don't think very many people would want to trade places with me. Working, constantly seeking to improve oneself, trying to be better than yourself all the time isn't what very many people enjoy doing, as they (IMHO) percieve it too difficult. But taking a different stance on the subject, I am enormously grateful to have access to education. It is an opportunity certain children never have (I doubt very many African children have access to University level education, not to speak of some very traditional Muslim families who deny the women the right to education at higher levels). Considering that 100 years ago something like this was available only to very few select women, I am grateful to be living in this time. And I am sometimes saddened to hear people percieve their education as a dull chore rather than a privillege. I don't mind people taking several years off in between their studies to experience different things, but complaining about the dullness and the "hard" work isn't really in place. Certain people might want to trade palces with me, but then so would I if that meant I was to understand quantum physics, a field which I would have gladly studied, was my knowledge of math a bit wider.

Lilit - no need to apologize! We all sometimes think of "what would happen" and "if only I did that". Once you get over the sheer boredom that is called the chemical equation and start seeing thing in perspective - such as what is necessary to sustain and support a type of reaction in a cell - it gets interesting. I quite like chemistry, but even I despaired sometimes why as a medical student I have to know the chemical equation for the biosyntesis of collagen. But so it is - with a bunch of interesting things, inevitably there come some dull bits of information that one just has to know. :)

Hope bad mood clears up soon! :) Just try to smile a bit - everything seems at least a bit better then.

Amazing video and great choice of music in it I must add.
Not to be impertinent, but I wouldn't trade places with you for a simple reason - I'm not interested in biology/chemistry/physics etc. I love my study ;).

Fascinating. It would be nice to know what the processes shown in the video are, although I suspect they would be a bit difficult to explain to someone who knows very little about cell biology (like me).

A brief overview of current trends in research methodologies in that field: Towards 2020 Science. Pictures included.

Mitja - I'll try to at least write an outline of the processes during the weekend.

Thanks for linking that report. I've looked at it, but not read it thoroughly, so I can't comment yet.

Teja - I absolutely understand you! And I did say that not very many people would want to switch. :) I know biology isn't very widely popular.

And again, to all, sorry for the late reply, but hopefully you understand. This week I had to finish two seminar papers and I had a quiz today. I have to present a seminar on Tuesday and I'm getting up at 5.45 in the morning. (I'm not whining, just saying that it's really rather difficult for me to take time off.