Ask a Biologist Thread

[Psi Wavefunction]

I figured we should have a place where people can ask random questions that aren't big/pressing enough for their own topics, but intriguing nonetheless. Then, if any of us here are capable/qualified, we could start a discussion in a new topic, or answer it here if it's short. How does that sound?

My "specialties" would be cell biology and protistology (and plant development to some extent). Keep in mind that I'm just an undergrad though, so if I spew obvious bullshit -- let me know!

MedGen, CP and Spastic (and anyone else I may have missed) -- what would you describe as your fields of expertise? That could be useful...

How does this sound?


PS: I'm also planning to minor in linguistics, so some basic language-related questions I could also attempt to answer.

[Trolldor]

Where do babies come from?

[Psi Wavefunction]

Where do babies come from?

Storks. Or, in my country, the cabbage field... (WTF!?)

[ScholasticSpastic]

I'm just a general biology major for now- no specialization is available where I am. When I move to a real campus I want to work with bacteria, but there may be more money in algae when I get there and, if that's the case, I'll work with algae.

The important thing is that I can find a way to apply what I've learned at university to bioremediation. So botany and microbiology (especially bacteriology and mycology) are both directions I'm willing to go in.

For now, though, I probably know more chemistry than bioloby as I've been working for a chemist.

[Psi Wavefunction]

I'm just a general biology major for now- no specialization is available where I am. When I move to a real campus I want to work with bacteria, but there may be more money in algae when I get there and, if that's the case, I'll work with algae.

The important thing is that I can find a way to apply what I've learned at university to bioremediation. So botany and microbiology (especially bacteriology and mycology) are both directions I'm willing to go in.

For now, though, I probably know more chemistry than bioloby as I've been working for a chemist.

Algae? Oooh... so you're gonna join the dark side, aka protistology? SWEET! Do you know what type of algae, or which aspect of it? After all, plasmodium and toxoplasma can be considered 'algae' too!

I used to think algae were boring, but that's because the way they tend to introduce it consists mainly of memorising the pigments found in various unrelated seaweeds... without really explaining the evolutionary context of it all. And "nothing makes sense in biology except in the light of evolution"...

[ScholasticSpastic]

Algae? Oooh... so you're gonna join the dark side, aka protistology? SWEET! Do you know what type of algae, or which aspect of it? After all, plasmodium and toxoplasma can be considered 'algae' too!

If I become involved in it, it'll be about algal biofuels, so whatever's oiliest and fastest-growing will be what we work with. I've heard only vague intimations of incipient projects for now. The plan is that my greater-than-average spectrometry and spectroscopy experience will give me a leg-up, whatever I end up doing.

I've heard stories from the main campus of a plan to incorporate pipes full of algae into the exhaust from power plants, recapture some of the CO2, and then burn the algae in the power plant again- thus reducing greenhouse emissions and essentially adding a direct solar component to fossil fuel use (in addition to the delayed solar component we already enjoy).

[Psi Wavefunction]

Algae? Oooh... so you're gonna join the dark side, aka protistology? SWEET! Do you know what type of algae, or which aspect of it? After all, plasmodium and toxoplasma can be considered 'algae' too!

If I become involved in it, it'll be about algal biofuels, so whatever's oiliest and fastest-growing will be what we work with. I've heard only vague intimations of incipient projects for now. The plan is that my greater-than-average spectrometry and spectroscopy experience will give me a leg-up, whatever I end up doing.

I've heard stories from the main campus of a plan to incorporate pipes full of algae into the exhaust from power plants, recapture some of the CO2, and then burn the algae in the power plant again- thus reducing greenhouse emissions and essentially adding a direct solar component to fossil fuel use (in addition to the delayed solar component we already enjoy).

Algal genocide??? :pissed:

Some of them have image-forming camera eyes, you know! What if they have feelings too?!


You could also work on selecting for/genetically engineering more oily ones. Plenty of work for biochemists+geneticists!

[Chinaski]

I hate biology. I'm still kicking myself for having chosen it instead of physics or chemistry. Don't know what I was thinking.
Anyway, any questions I may have will wind up here, fear not

[Psi Wavefunction]

I hate biology. I'm still kicking myself for having chosen it instead of physics or chemistry. Don't know what I was thinking.
Anyway, any questions I may have will wind up here, fear not

What went wrong with biology? Is it the teaching? 'cause that tends to get fucked up all too often...

[ScholasticSpastic]

Biology is all about my favorite things: sex, food, sex, and food. What's not to like?

[Chinaski]

I hate biology. I'm still kicking myself for having chosen it instead of physics or chemistry. Don't know what I was thinking.
Anyway, any questions I may have will wind up here, fear not

What went wrong with biology? Is it the teaching? 'cause that tends to get fucked up all too often...

Maybe it's just because I'm still at a low level, but I hate the basic memorization that studying biology seems to rely on (not aided at all by my short term auditory memory loss). I don't find any logic to it, it's all "Learn so-and-so cell structure. Why is it so? It just is." It doesn't make sense to me, I can't find a logical thread, and there's no real "building" involved.

[Psi Wavefunction]

I hate biology. I'm still kicking myself for having chosen it instead of physics or chemistry. Don't know what I was thinking.
Anyway, any questions I may have will wind up here, fear not

What went wrong with biology? Is it the teaching? 'cause that tends to get fucked up all too often...

Maybe it's just because I'm still at a low level, but I hate the basic memorization that studying biology seems to rely on (not aided at all by my short term auditory memory loss). I don't find any logic to it, it's all "Learn so-and-so cell structure. Why is it so? It just is." It doesn't make sense to me, I can't find a logical thread, and there's no real "building" involved.

I have problems with that in the undergrad system even while actually doing research in the field... the coursework and the research are worlds apart from each other! In real biology, it's not so much memorisation as figuring out various pathways and how they interact (in cell/molecular biology/genetics anyway; ecology is all about mathematical modelling!). But in class, they don't really demonstrate how stuff interacts, and how the system manages to function -- which, in my opinion, is the exciting stuff.

All those cell structures have some sort of evolutionary history; also, most of the 'principles' of highschool cell biology have been violated by some organism somewhere. One nucleus per cell? Bullshit. Entire phyla exist with multinucleate cells; ciliates have two different kinds of nuclei, serving separate functions! Mitochondria always present? Nyeh. While no eukaryote has been found yet that has no mitochondrial past, there are anaerobes where mitochondria only participate in one small(but crucial!) step of their metabolism. Endosymbiosis itself is more exciting and complex than simply "Mitochondria remind us of bacteria, so they probably came from them. Memorise the following bacterial features of mitochondria. Regurgitate on essay question. Have a nice day."

You know how mitosis begins by chromosomes condensing and the nuclear envelope dissolving? Some organisms exist that NEVER condense their chromosomes (no fucking clue how they do mitosis like that! ); some have permanently condensed chromosomes. Many organisms don't bother to dissolve the nuclear envelope -- they engage in what is called 'closed mitosis' -- which frankly makes much more sense than taking apart the nuclear envelope over and over again.

So why do some organisms differ? Why does our lineage do things a certain way while many others have come up with alternative mechanisms? There are also some rediculous features out there -- eg. kinetoplasts where the mRNA transcripts require up to 5000 small editing RNA fragments and around 500 proteins to edit their sequences to code for the right gene. Absolutely rediculous -- they do the same function as the 'normal' transcription system! How does a fucked up system like that arise?


Simply memorising names and processes is bullshit. Go ahead, tell your teacher that if you dare. Let them know you have a horde of professional biologists backing that statement. What is important, and interesting, is how it fits together, what is the point of those processes -- why do they work one way and not another? How did they evolve? And most importantly... what is almost never taught in highschool/undergrad level -- how to ask good questions!

As long as you know what questions lead to figuring shit out, you're fine. Information is always there these days -- nobody memorises protocols in the lab these days, because as soon as you get a question -- Google is 3 steps away. Or whatever database you need. Everything is right there, on the internet. While cramming and rote memorisation was fairly pointless a few decades ago, it's absolutely ABSURD in the modern age! Let's face it -- a computer is many orders of magnitude better at storing information than we humans could ever dream to be! Why compete!?

We must focus on something a computer cannot do -- and that's creative thinking. Computers can't analyse data, computers can't ask questions, computers can't create art. That is our domain, and the educational system should appreciate and reinforce that accordingly.


Sorry, went off on a rant... uh, where were we? Oh yeah... I'm sorry that your highschool biology experience is shitty -- if you're still keen despite that, you could always read books or internet literature on whatever topics interest you. You could perhaps make acquaintance with some biologists, and just ask random questions. That'll train you how to ask good questions, and consequently -- how to find the right information when you need it.


I have a lot of vile hatred towards the education establishment. A lot. They're fucking me over big time, even as we speak. I have more conference publications than A's... I'm gonna have a paper out in a year or so, and get paid to do research... and my average thus far is 58%. :pissed:

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Simple question, please.

How did life begin on Earth?

[Trolldor]

Well, there was this chick called Gaia...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Well, there was this chick called Gaia...

That's so Gaia!

But seriously, that's the $64 dollar question, isn't it? If we knew that we could force feed it to the fundies in huge quantities.