Nanotechnology is for the soul of a good number of breakthroughs that should electricity the long run economic climate. Supplies that may be made utilizing atomically exact technologies will supply operation and prices far superior to conventional supplies.
For case in point, the state on the artwork in semiconductor technological know-how is photolithographic producing. Photolithography utilizes mild to remove product on the chip wafer, layer by layer. It's got been executed that way for many years whilst the chip density has grown and chip dimension has dropped.
One in the top rated manufactures of money machines for the semiconductor industry is participating in a major portion in photolithographic manufacturing. The technological innovation improvements have enabled them to pile a growing range of factors on semiconductor "real estate." At this time, innovative photolithography qualifies as nanotechnology, on the other hand you'll find theoretical dimension limits currently being approached.
This is simply because mild is employed to "cut" the electrical pathways and parts about the chip. This will get tougher to try and do in the event the characteristics that happen to be asked for are smaller sized compared to wavelength of sunshine getting used to do the work. Being an instance, you don't shave by using a chain saw.
New systems are being developed that don't count on etching or in any other case eradicating undesirable elements. Progressively more, they'll rely upon the self-assembling capacities of thoroughly built molecules.
For instance, MIT researchers have not long ago made a molecular developing approach that facilitates the adoption of electron beams in chip manufacturing. Beams of electrons is usually considerably more narrowly centered than beams of sunshine. This permits smaller sized chip attributes plus more powerful, small electronics.
This exact same development is clear in scientific instruments. Inside the late 1500s, organic microscopes s began the hunt to observe smaller and smaller sized objects. At some point, the bounds of optical resolution had been attained; for the exact same factors, we've been striking the boundaries of light-based lithography.
During the fantastic Despair, electrical engineers made approaches for utilizing electrons to see incredibly modest objects. The scanning electron electronic microscope turned probably the most transformational scientific instruments of the 20th century. The insights it supplied revolutionized numerous fields from biology and drugs to supplies sciences.
However, in photolithographic chip fabrication, light-weight has one gain above electrons. A complete layer can be etched by just exposing the layer to some venture graphic with the ideal pattern. This isn't significantly distinct than old-school darkroom images. You expose photosensitive paper to an image sample projected with the damaging. After establishing the image, you've an entire impression. Electron beams involve that patterns be drawn a person line at a time; such as the Etch A Sketch we experienced as young children. Electron beam lithography allows better resolution but it is much slower.
This is where the MIT scientists introduced molecular self-assembly in the photo. They made a method applying electron beams to etch nano-sized posts on semiconductor wafers. They then uncovered them to polymers that attach for the posts and spontaneously self-arrange into predictable although not specifically useful patterns.
To get valuable designs, a number of the polymers had been fabricated applying silicon. Right after self-assembly, an electrically billed gas burned absent the non-silicon polymers. Only the silicon polymers, in the ideal routine, remained.
Since the polymers can repel and catch the attention of each individual other in several strategies, and since the person hyperlinks inside a polymer chain could be personalized to suit an application, the styles might be manipulated. The forms that happen to be formed can even be managed by different the spacing and range of posts created by the electron beam.
To date, the scientists have already been able to generate seven distinctive shapes. As this breakthrough technology gets a lot more workable, it should raise the speed at which chips is usually created. Products and solutions employing these chips will practical experience a short solution development lifecycle and may come to industry more rapidly.
I trust this post has supply some qualifications and evidence that potent initiatives are underway with breakthrough technologies for specific manufacturing. These actions will quickly deliver different wealth making options and our market will become drastically tougher.
In closing, I favor a quote from Steve Forbes. Forbes claims that pursuing added fiscal education and the ensuing raise within our monetary literacy (which include the investment decision likely of breakthrough technological know-how) will open our eyes to alternative wealth generating techniques which will likely be the key to resolving our global economic disaster.
To acquire the required monetary training, it is best to obtain association with, access to, and membership inside of a prosperity generation community. For a outcome, you may master and still have the expertise to utilize substitute wealth generating methods these as Bank on On your own, credit card debt reduction, and asset defense. You will be subjected to prosperity acceleration investments in regions (discussed on this and former blog site blogposts) these types of as atomically precise developing, nuclear strength generation, commercial place ventures, Provider Ethernet systems, nanotech lithography, robotics, nano-based next-generation battery know-how, important metals, drinking water legal rights, oil, all-natural gas, potash mines, food stuff commodities, and gold mines. You'll have the expertise to contemplate investments in belongings that happen to be inherently handy like oil rigs, hydropower, or methanol crops; things which are tricky to develop, complicated to interchange, and expensive to swap; absolutely not economical stocks, undoubtedly not retail stocks, definitely not professional assets.
Another benefit of membership in a very wealth generation local community is exposure to entrepreneurial leadership and business possibilities. Several of those leaders suggest that in case you don't focus on remaining a digital entrepreneur, staying self-employed, or staying a little business proprietor, will probably be a really tough road within the months and ages ahead; truly it's going to be an uphill battle. As a outcome, the progressive prosperity creation communities offer education and learning and coaching on B2B, and B2C, eCommerce enabling the latest breed of pros which can be creating 6 determine next incomes.
It is sensible to observe breakthrough technology as you'll find definitely exhilarating developments afoot in the field of nanotechnology for specific production and connected small business exercises. I'll keep keep an eye on developments and supply updates in long run content and at my weblog. To learn more, please be at liberty to visit our webiste www.microscopebiz.com.
A Dissecting Microscope For School Use
Anyone who has taken higher school biology has encountered a dissecting microscope; it was commonly accompanied by a frog. The trauma involved in getting to chloroform destroy a frog in the name of education may well, even so, have rendered you oblivious to the workings on the dissecting microscope, so right here is a refresher course on how it was constructed and how it worked.
Construction Of A Dissecting Microscope
The dissecting microscope, like all Biological Microscope , has a tube having a lens at its upper opening, via which you appear to view the specimen lying beneath the tube's lower finish. The upper finish from the tube will even have some form of nose piece to help your head remain steady though you do your viewing.
The decrease finish in the dissecting microscope contains the second lens, recognized because the "objective" lens. The type of objective lens becoming utilised will rely on how fine a focus you must examine your specimen. Your dissecting microscope will have two far more light-condensing lenses in its condenser; these lenses are responsible for the microscope's magnification capacity.
The dissecting microscope's condenser is centered above the middle of your microscope's stage, on which the slide bearing the specimen ifs placed for examination. The most beneficial dissecting microscopes have adjustable stages which may be manipulated without having the microscope's user getting to eliminate their eyes from the eyepiece.
The very best?digital microscope is positioned above its diaphragm, the function of that is to control the quantity of light becoming transmitted by means of the slide and specimen. The light itself can also be below the dissecting microscope's stage, and is either a halogen or fluorescent bulb. It can be the manipulation with the light's reflection on the specimen that causes the dissecting microscope to magnify what the user sees.
Caring For a Dissecting Microscope
Dissecting microscopes, like all others, require special care; their lenses really should be kept dust and smudge totally free with dry, soft cloths and they ought to be stored, when not in use, in dust covers. They should also be stored away from dampness.
Those handling a dissecting microscope need to normally carry it in each hands. Which is the simplest way to steer clear of either dropping it or bumping it against other objects; either of which will ruin the alignment of your lenses. The dissecting microscope is most secure when its user holds the microscope arm in one hand and supports its base inside the other.
For much more details, please really feel cost-free to visit our webiste www.microscopebiz.com.
Construction Of A Dissecting Microscope
The dissecting microscope, like all Biological Microscope , has a tube having a lens at its upper opening, via which you appear to view the specimen lying beneath the tube's lower finish. The upper finish from the tube will even have some form of nose piece to help your head remain steady though you do your viewing.
The decrease finish in the dissecting microscope contains the second lens, recognized because the "objective" lens. The type of objective lens becoming utilised will rely on how fine a focus you must examine your specimen. Your dissecting microscope will have two far more light-condensing lenses in its condenser; these lenses are responsible for the microscope's magnification capacity.
The dissecting microscope's condenser is centered above the middle of your microscope's stage, on which the slide bearing the specimen ifs placed for examination. The most beneficial dissecting microscopes have adjustable stages which may be manipulated without having the microscope's user getting to eliminate their eyes from the eyepiece.
The very best?digital microscope is positioned above its diaphragm, the function of that is to control the quantity of light becoming transmitted by means of the slide and specimen. The light itself can also be below the dissecting microscope's stage, and is either a halogen or fluorescent bulb. It can be the manipulation with the light's reflection on the specimen that causes the dissecting microscope to magnify what the user sees.
Caring For a Dissecting Microscope
Dissecting microscopes, like all others, require special care; their lenses really should be kept dust and smudge totally free with dry, soft cloths and they ought to be stored, when not in use, in dust covers. They should also be stored away from dampness.
Those handling a dissecting microscope need to normally carry it in each hands. Which is the simplest way to steer clear of either dropping it or bumping it against other objects; either of which will ruin the alignment of your lenses. The dissecting microscope is most secure when its user holds the microscope arm in one hand and supports its base inside the other.
For much more details, please really feel cost-free to visit our webiste www.microscopebiz.com.
How to Get Started in Reef Keeping
Friday, October 26, 2012
In the interest of giving those of you new to the marine aquarium hobby a place to start, I've written this FAQ of sorts. I've tired to answer some of the basic questions that most people encounter when setting up their first SW aquarium. This is by no means a comprehensive list and there are many ways to set up a tank. This is intended to serve only as a starting point - to help you begin to ask the right questions and get your feet wet. Well maybe your hands....ok, ok...clear up to your armpits. Let's get started!
Question: What basic equipment and other items do I need to start a saltwater aquarium?
Answer:
1.The tank: Contrary to what you might think, starting with a small tank is not the best option. In fact, the bigger, the better. You see, a larger volume of water is less apt to be affected by the sudden water changes that are common in a beginner's tank. Think of it this way: If you take a cup of water and a gallon of water and add a drop of blue food coloring to each, which one is going to have the greatest color change? Correct, the cup. Now imagine you have a fish die in your tank while you are at work. As the fish decays, it produces toxic ammonia. The smaller the volume of water, the more detrimental the ammonia will be to the other tank inhabitants. Simply put, a larger tank is more forgiving. A good size to start with is 55 gal or larger.
2. Water: If you've ever had foul tasting tap water, you know that not all water is created equal. Tap water can contain a variety of chemicals, minerals, and other impurities that are not conducive to reef keeping. Tap water will likely contain chlorine and possibly chloramines and even nitrates and phosphate. So, what kind of water do you want to use. There are lots of options, the most common of which, is water purified by Reverse Osmosis (RO water). In the interest of keeping this simple, and not getting over my own head, let's just say that reverse osmosis gives you the purist water. You'll find RO water at most any supermarket - just check the label. If you go to Wal-Mart, it is the one with the green cap and runs less than sixty cents per gallon at the time of this writing. There are also home RO units widely available to reef keepers if you want to purify your own water.
3. Filtration: This can be a real can of worms. There are many different options and many, many different theories regarding the best type of filtration for a reef tank. The most common, and accepted method is the use of live rock (LR) and a deep sand bed along with a protein skimmer. Live rock, is a simple way of saying porous carbonate-based rock that is host to both macro and microorganisms. Because of the highly porous nature of LR, it is able to support vast amounts of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Make sure you use rock that won't leech minerals into the water.
Live Rock is host to both aerobic nitrifying bacteria, which live on the rock surface, and anaerobic denitrifying bacteria, which live in the denser pores deeper within the LR. Like LR, sand also provides a good home to both types of bacteria. (See the section below on the Nitrogen Cycle for more information on this topic).
In order to provide enough LR to be an effective biological filter, you want to have between 1.5 to 2 lbs of live rock per gallon of water. So, in a 55 gal tank, you would want between about 82.5 - 110 lbs of live rock.
A Deep Sand Bed (DSB) typically, is two to four inches deep and provides lots of surface area for beneficial bacteria. The surface portion is host to the nitrosomonas and the deeper, less oxygenated layer, is home to the nitrobacters.
Now you may be saying to yourself, surely there's a way to remove the fish waste before it begins to breakdown and becomes a problem on the microscopic level. Guess what, you're right!
The protein skimmer is the means by which the fish waste, excess food, and other proteins are removed from the water. These combinations of waste products are often referred to as Dissolved Organic Compounds or DOC's. There are several types of protein skimmers and each has their pros and cons, but they all have one thing in common - using foaming bubbles to remove waste from the water. The skimmers vary in the way the bubbles are produced but the basic operation is this: bubbles are produced in the skimmer, the smaller the better, and the DOC's stick to the bubbles and are carried into a collection cup which can be periodically emptied. The waste in the collection cup is called skimate. A protein skimmer's efficiency is judged by its ability to produce skimate. But no matter how effective a skimmer is you will still need biological filtration.
This covers just the basics of filtration. Please read as much information as you can find on this topic. The better you understand how this process works, the more success you will have.
4. Lights: The type of lighting you provide will depend directly on what you choose to keep in your tank. If you want to keep a Fish Only (FO) tank, then you can get by with just standard fluorescent lighting. If you want to keep corals or anemones, you will need stronger lighting. The rule of thumb is 3-5 watts per gallon - as technologies progress this rule of thumb is becoming less accurate. Many factors such as the type of lighting, the depth of the tank, and placement of corals will be important as well.
You have lots of options to choose from but most are a combination of three technologies: Power Compact Fluorescents (PC), Very High Output (VHO), or Metal Halide (MH.).
Power compacts will allow you to keep a variety of corals, including all soft corals, and a limited selection of hard corals - mostly large polyp stonies (LPS).
VHO, while not as intense as PC lights, are offered in higher wattages and by themselves allow a similar selection of corals to be kept. However, VHO are often used in conjunction with Metal Halides.
Metal Halides offer the greatest range of options allowing reef keepers to meet the lighting requirements of even the most demanding corals, including small polyp stonies (SPS). The drawback to MH lighting is the relatively high cost, and the intense heat that they put off. Special cooling precautions have to be taken to maintain water temperature when using MH lighting. At a minimum, you will need to have one or more fans cooling the lights and surface of the water. Another, more costly cooling option is the use of a chiller.
Another less common option that is gaining popularity is the use of T-5 lighting. T-5's are a type of High Output fluorescent lighting (HO) but which have a smaller diameter and greater intensity than other types of fluorescents. Proponents say T-5's will one day replace MH's, but others maintain that they do not have the ability to penetrate as deep and should only be used for shallow tanks no deeper than 18".
As stated, these are generalizations. Many reef keepers have had success keeping all manner of marine life using each of these types of lighting.
5. Circulation: The goal of every reef keeper should be to replicate the natural ocean conditions as much as possible. By doing so, you have the greatest chance of creating a hospitable environment for your fish, corals, and invertebrates. Circulation is typically provided by power heads, which are small pumps placed in the water, which draw water in and then pump it out at higher pressure. The rule of thumb here is ten times the water volume per hour. If we use our hypothetical 55 gal tank, this would mean we would want at least 550 gph of water flow. The power heads should be placed in a manner as to simulate ocean currents while creating flow in all portions of the tank and avoiding "dead spots." Dead spots, areas of the tank with low circulation, can allow waste to settle out of the water column where it can decompose and raise the levels of harmful ammonia.
Question: What are Nitrates (the Nitrogen Cycle)?
Answer: As mentioned earlier, decaying fish produce ammonia. In fact living fish produce ammonia as a product of respiration. It is also produced as fish waste and uneaten food decompose (DOC's.) If allowed to exist in any significant amount, ammonia will wreak havoc on your tanks inhabitants and can cause death. This is where the bacteria enter the picture. The bacteria, which use ammonia in their own metabolic process, are called nitrosomonas. Nitrosomonas thrive in a highly oxygenated environment and consume ammonia in a process called aerobic nitrification. As these bacteria multiply, they use up the ammonia and produce nitrites as a by-product. Unfortunately Nitrites are also toxic to the marine environment. Luckily this isn't the end of the cycle and there are bacteria which also consume nitrites. These bacteria thrive in low oxygen environments and are called nitrobacteria. They consume nitrites in a process called anaerobic (or anoxic) denitrification. The nitrobacteria convert the nitrite into nitrates. Nitrates are the end of the line in this process. The nitrates are LESS harmful to aquatic life than ammonia or nitrites, but still should not be allowed in any significant quantity. Nitrates are removed via frequent, small water changes - usually 10-20% per week. Some people choose to make larger, less frequent water changes. There are some other options for reducing nitrates, but that is a topic for another day.
Question: How do I set my tank up?
Answer: Even after having the basic information about equipment and biological processes, you may still run into little questions along the way - stuff like, how do I mix the water, and how do I cycle my tank. We are going to try to address a few of these more common questions.
Important: Before adding water to your tank, make sure that the tank and stand are level. Having a tank that is not level can lead to your tank bursting!
The next decision you need to make is if you want to use sand or crushed coral as your substrate (base layer). Some people choose to have a bare bottom tank for aesthetic reasons, but most use one of the two aforementioned substrates.
For biological filtration, a deep sand bed is the most recommended substrate. The sand should be clean argonite sand. Silica based sand can be harmful to some sand sifting creatures that you may decide to keep. Another option still chosen by many people is crushed coral. Crushed coral will not be as effective at hosting anoxic bacteria as will a DSB, but it is readily available and many prefer its appearance to sand. After laying your substrate, you are ready for water.
As discussed earlier, you'll want to begin with water purified through reverse osmosis. When filling the tank for the first time, it is OK to mix the water and salt in the tank. Once you have livestock in your tank, you'll want to mix the saltwater in a bucket or barrel and then add it to the tank. There are several salt mixes out there, all of which have their fans, and detractors. Regardless of which one you choose you will want to mix it to salinity between 1.022-1.025. For most salt mixes, you will get close to the desired salinity by adding salt mix at the rate of ½ cup per gallon of water. For your initial setup, don't fill the tank all the way. Remember you are going to displace water with a large amount of rock. Also, you want to leave enough room in the tank to adjust your salinity. If your salinity is too high, you will add more RO water, if it is too low, you will add more slightly concentrated saltwater. Most reef keepers use a simple swing arm hydrometer to measure salinity, but you may eventually want to consider a more accurate device such as a refractometer. Once you have water in your tank, you will want to place and plug in your power heads.
The next step is to add your live rock. Live rock comes two ways, cured or uncured. When live rock is removed from the ocean it is full of marine life. During the subsequent transportation, some of this marine life will begin to die-off. The process of curing live rock means allowing the decaying process to complete before adding it to your tank. Adding uncured lr to your tank may cause an ammonia spike. Normally such a spike is undesirable, but when starting a new tank, it can aid in cycling the tank - More on "cycling" in a moment.
You can either use all live rock or, if you want to save money, you can use 20% live rock and 80% base rock. Base rock is porous carbonate based rock that has either not been in an ocean or reef tank or was but has since been removed. If you go this route, just remember that it will take time for your base rock to become home to the macro and microorganisms typically found in live rock. After a period of time, the base rock and live rock will be indistinguishable.
As you add the rock, be mindful of how it is placed. You want to make sure that it is stable and will not topple over once you add livestock. You'd hate to see your favorite fish crushed to death in a rockslide - not to mention that many of the larger pieces of rock are quite heavy and could easily break your glass. Can you say, Noah's Ark? Let's hope you never have a flood! If you are especially concerned about falling rock, or want to try some interesting aquascaping, consider options such as using PVC as a brace for your rockwork. After adding the sand and rock, your tank will likely be very cloudy. At this time, start any filtration devices that you will be using and within a couple of days, the water should be clear.
Once your live rock is in place, your tank will begin to cycle. Cycling is the process by which the bacteria are established in your tank. If you add a sufficient amount of live rock, your tank is essentially already cycled, but if you don't add live rock or only add a small amount, you will need to help the process. Either way, you need to provide a food source for the bacteria - namely ammonia. If you are using lr rock to cycle your tank, you can add a couple of hardy fish to provide an ammonia source. People often use damsels for this task, but please bear in mind that damsels can be very aggressive to other fish and are also extremely difficult to remove from a tank with lots of rockwork.
If you are not using LR to cycle, you will want to provide an alternate source of ammonia - there's no good reason to risk killing a fish in a tank that is not yet ready to support life. Instead, you can either add a pinch of fish food to your tank each day, or drop in a raw shrimp. As the food or shrimp begin to decompose, ammonia levels will begin to rise. After a few days, start checking ammonia levels. After about a week, you will see a peek in ammonia and then levels will begin to decrease. The decrease in ammonia means that the levels of nitrosomonas are increasing. Once you see the decrease in ammonia, start checking nitrite levels. Like ammonia, the nitrite levels will rise for about a week until they peek and begin to decline. At this point the nitrobacter population is increasing. Once you see this decrease, you should start checking nitrate levels. Nitrate levels will increase and peak at about the same time nitrite levels reach zero. Once this has occurred, you should be at about the three-week point. In order to lower the high level of nitrates, you will need to do a massive water change - draining 50% of you water and replacing it with new saltwater. At this point you should begin to slowly add livestock while daily checking your nitrate levels. Nitrate should not exceed 40 ppm in a fish only tank, or 10 ppm in a reef tank. If you have proper filtration, stocking, and maintenance your nitrate levels should remain very close to zero. In order to keep a bacterial balance, it is wise to wait a week or more between livestock additions to your tank.
Question: What do I do now (Am I ready to add fish)?
Answer: Before you add ANY fish, coral, or invertebrate to your tank, be sure to thoroughly research your potential purchase BEFORE bringing it home. You will find that many creatures are not compatible with one another or you may find a beautiful fish only to discover that it is a voracious coral eater. Many reef keepers find it useful to compile a list of compatible fish and corals - ones that will live in harmony with one another, are well suited to your tank size, and lighting. Make sure to take the list with you whenever you go to the local fish store (lfs) so you won't be tempted to make an inappropriate spur of the moment purchase. Also be mindful of the order that you add the fish with the more territorial going in last so the less aggressive fish can establish territories.
When seeking advice at the various lfs's be mindful that just because someone works in a pet or fish store, does not mean they know what they are talking about. This seems to be especially true of the large chain stores. Unfortunately there are also those out there who will allow you to make an unwise purchase just so they can make a sale.
Although the topic is not covered here, I strongly encourage you to do some research on setting up a quarantine tank. A quarantine tank is used to monitor your new livestock for several weeks to make sure they are free of disease before adding to your main tank. It is much easier to treat for disease in a quarantine tank than it is one full of corals and other sensitive livestock. One final tip that is especially true in this hobby, "Patience IS a virtue." Take your time and make sure you make informed decisions from the very start; this will help avoid unnecessary loss of livestock as well as cost savings.
Hopefully you have found this information useful and have a better grasp on just what is involved in this wonderful hobby.
Question: What basic equipment and other items do I need to start a saltwater aquarium?
Answer:
1.The tank: Contrary to what you might think, starting with a small tank is not the best option. In fact, the bigger, the better. You see, a larger volume of water is less apt to be affected by the sudden water changes that are common in a beginner's tank. Think of it this way: If you take a cup of water and a gallon of water and add a drop of blue food coloring to each, which one is going to have the greatest color change? Correct, the cup. Now imagine you have a fish die in your tank while you are at work. As the fish decays, it produces toxic ammonia. The smaller the volume of water, the more detrimental the ammonia will be to the other tank inhabitants. Simply put, a larger tank is more forgiving. A good size to start with is 55 gal or larger.
2. Water: If you've ever had foul tasting tap water, you know that not all water is created equal. Tap water can contain a variety of chemicals, minerals, and other impurities that are not conducive to reef keeping. Tap water will likely contain chlorine and possibly chloramines and even nitrates and phosphate. So, what kind of water do you want to use. There are lots of options, the most common of which, is water purified by Reverse Osmosis (RO water). In the interest of keeping this simple, and not getting over my own head, let's just say that reverse osmosis gives you the purist water. You'll find RO water at most any supermarket - just check the label. If you go to Wal-Mart, it is the one with the green cap and runs less than sixty cents per gallon at the time of this writing. There are also home RO units widely available to reef keepers if you want to purify your own water.
3. Filtration: This can be a real can of worms. There are many different options and many, many different theories regarding the best type of filtration for a reef tank. The most common, and accepted method is the use of live rock (LR) and a deep sand bed along with a protein skimmer. Live rock, is a simple way of saying porous carbonate-based rock that is host to both macro and microorganisms. Because of the highly porous nature of LR, it is able to support vast amounts of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Make sure you use rock that won't leech minerals into the water.
Live Rock is host to both aerobic nitrifying bacteria, which live on the rock surface, and anaerobic denitrifying bacteria, which live in the denser pores deeper within the LR. Like LR, sand also provides a good home to both types of bacteria. (See the section below on the Nitrogen Cycle for more information on this topic).
In order to provide enough LR to be an effective biological filter, you want to have between 1.5 to 2 lbs of live rock per gallon of water. So, in a 55 gal tank, you would want between about 82.5 - 110 lbs of live rock.
A Deep Sand Bed (DSB) typically, is two to four inches deep and provides lots of surface area for beneficial bacteria. The surface portion is host to the nitrosomonas and the deeper, less oxygenated layer, is home to the nitrobacters.
Now you may be saying to yourself, surely there's a way to remove the fish waste before it begins to breakdown and becomes a problem on the microscopic level. Guess what, you're right!
The protein skimmer is the means by which the fish waste, excess food, and other proteins are removed from the water. These combinations of waste products are often referred to as Dissolved Organic Compounds or DOC's. There are several types of protein skimmers and each has their pros and cons, but they all have one thing in common - using foaming bubbles to remove waste from the water. The skimmers vary in the way the bubbles are produced but the basic operation is this: bubbles are produced in the skimmer, the smaller the better, and the DOC's stick to the bubbles and are carried into a collection cup which can be periodically emptied. The waste in the collection cup is called skimate. A protein skimmer's efficiency is judged by its ability to produce skimate. But no matter how effective a skimmer is you will still need biological filtration.
This covers just the basics of filtration. Please read as much information as you can find on this topic. The better you understand how this process works, the more success you will have.
4. Lights: The type of lighting you provide will depend directly on what you choose to keep in your tank. If you want to keep a Fish Only (FO) tank, then you can get by with just standard fluorescent lighting. If you want to keep corals or anemones, you will need stronger lighting. The rule of thumb is 3-5 watts per gallon - as technologies progress this rule of thumb is becoming less accurate. Many factors such as the type of lighting, the depth of the tank, and placement of corals will be important as well.
You have lots of options to choose from but most are a combination of three technologies: Power Compact Fluorescents (PC), Very High Output (VHO), or Metal Halide (MH.).
Power compacts will allow you to keep a variety of corals, including all soft corals, and a limited selection of hard corals - mostly large polyp stonies (LPS).
VHO, while not as intense as PC lights, are offered in higher wattages and by themselves allow a similar selection of corals to be kept. However, VHO are often used in conjunction with Metal Halides.
Metal Halides offer the greatest range of options allowing reef keepers to meet the lighting requirements of even the most demanding corals, including small polyp stonies (SPS). The drawback to MH lighting is the relatively high cost, and the intense heat that they put off. Special cooling precautions have to be taken to maintain water temperature when using MH lighting. At a minimum, you will need to have one or more fans cooling the lights and surface of the water. Another, more costly cooling option is the use of a chiller.
Another less common option that is gaining popularity is the use of T-5 lighting. T-5's are a type of High Output fluorescent lighting (HO) but which have a smaller diameter and greater intensity than other types of fluorescents. Proponents say T-5's will one day replace MH's, but others maintain that they do not have the ability to penetrate as deep and should only be used for shallow tanks no deeper than 18".
As stated, these are generalizations. Many reef keepers have had success keeping all manner of marine life using each of these types of lighting.
5. Circulation: The goal of every reef keeper should be to replicate the natural ocean conditions as much as possible. By doing so, you have the greatest chance of creating a hospitable environment for your fish, corals, and invertebrates. Circulation is typically provided by power heads, which are small pumps placed in the water, which draw water in and then pump it out at higher pressure. The rule of thumb here is ten times the water volume per hour. If we use our hypothetical 55 gal tank, this would mean we would want at least 550 gph of water flow. The power heads should be placed in a manner as to simulate ocean currents while creating flow in all portions of the tank and avoiding "dead spots." Dead spots, areas of the tank with low circulation, can allow waste to settle out of the water column where it can decompose and raise the levels of harmful ammonia.
Question: What are Nitrates (the Nitrogen Cycle)?
Answer: As mentioned earlier, decaying fish produce ammonia. In fact living fish produce ammonia as a product of respiration. It is also produced as fish waste and uneaten food decompose (DOC's.) If allowed to exist in any significant amount, ammonia will wreak havoc on your tanks inhabitants and can cause death. This is where the bacteria enter the picture. The bacteria, which use ammonia in their own metabolic process, are called nitrosomonas. Nitrosomonas thrive in a highly oxygenated environment and consume ammonia in a process called aerobic nitrification. As these bacteria multiply, they use up the ammonia and produce nitrites as a by-product. Unfortunately Nitrites are also toxic to the marine environment. Luckily this isn't the end of the cycle and there are bacteria which also consume nitrites. These bacteria thrive in low oxygen environments and are called nitrobacteria. They consume nitrites in a process called anaerobic (or anoxic) denitrification. The nitrobacteria convert the nitrite into nitrates. Nitrates are the end of the line in this process. The nitrates are LESS harmful to aquatic life than ammonia or nitrites, but still should not be allowed in any significant quantity. Nitrates are removed via frequent, small water changes - usually 10-20% per week. Some people choose to make larger, less frequent water changes. There are some other options for reducing nitrates, but that is a topic for another day.
Question: How do I set my tank up?
Answer: Even after having the basic information about equipment and biological processes, you may still run into little questions along the way - stuff like, how do I mix the water, and how do I cycle my tank. We are going to try to address a few of these more common questions.
Important: Before adding water to your tank, make sure that the tank and stand are level. Having a tank that is not level can lead to your tank bursting!
The next decision you need to make is if you want to use sand or crushed coral as your substrate (base layer). Some people choose to have a bare bottom tank for aesthetic reasons, but most use one of the two aforementioned substrates.
For biological filtration, a deep sand bed is the most recommended substrate. The sand should be clean argonite sand. Silica based sand can be harmful to some sand sifting creatures that you may decide to keep. Another option still chosen by many people is crushed coral. Crushed coral will not be as effective at hosting anoxic bacteria as will a DSB, but it is readily available and many prefer its appearance to sand. After laying your substrate, you are ready for water.
As discussed earlier, you'll want to begin with water purified through reverse osmosis. When filling the tank for the first time, it is OK to mix the water and salt in the tank. Once you have livestock in your tank, you'll want to mix the saltwater in a bucket or barrel and then add it to the tank. There are several salt mixes out there, all of which have their fans, and detractors. Regardless of which one you choose you will want to mix it to salinity between 1.022-1.025. For most salt mixes, you will get close to the desired salinity by adding salt mix at the rate of ½ cup per gallon of water. For your initial setup, don't fill the tank all the way. Remember you are going to displace water with a large amount of rock. Also, you want to leave enough room in the tank to adjust your salinity. If your salinity is too high, you will add more RO water, if it is too low, you will add more slightly concentrated saltwater. Most reef keepers use a simple swing arm hydrometer to measure salinity, but you may eventually want to consider a more accurate device such as a refractometer. Once you have water in your tank, you will want to place and plug in your power heads.
The next step is to add your live rock. Live rock comes two ways, cured or uncured. When live rock is removed from the ocean it is full of marine life. During the subsequent transportation, some of this marine life will begin to die-off. The process of curing live rock means allowing the decaying process to complete before adding it to your tank. Adding uncured lr to your tank may cause an ammonia spike. Normally such a spike is undesirable, but when starting a new tank, it can aid in cycling the tank - More on "cycling" in a moment.
You can either use all live rock or, if you want to save money, you can use 20% live rock and 80% base rock. Base rock is porous carbonate based rock that has either not been in an ocean or reef tank or was but has since been removed. If you go this route, just remember that it will take time for your base rock to become home to the macro and microorganisms typically found in live rock. After a period of time, the base rock and live rock will be indistinguishable.
As you add the rock, be mindful of how it is placed. You want to make sure that it is stable and will not topple over once you add livestock. You'd hate to see your favorite fish crushed to death in a rockslide - not to mention that many of the larger pieces of rock are quite heavy and could easily break your glass. Can you say, Noah's Ark? Let's hope you never have a flood! If you are especially concerned about falling rock, or want to try some interesting aquascaping, consider options such as using PVC as a brace for your rockwork. After adding the sand and rock, your tank will likely be very cloudy. At this time, start any filtration devices that you will be using and within a couple of days, the water should be clear.
Once your live rock is in place, your tank will begin to cycle. Cycling is the process by which the bacteria are established in your tank. If you add a sufficient amount of live rock, your tank is essentially already cycled, but if you don't add live rock or only add a small amount, you will need to help the process. Either way, you need to provide a food source for the bacteria - namely ammonia. If you are using lr rock to cycle your tank, you can add a couple of hardy fish to provide an ammonia source. People often use damsels for this task, but please bear in mind that damsels can be very aggressive to other fish and are also extremely difficult to remove from a tank with lots of rockwork.
If you are not using LR to cycle, you will want to provide an alternate source of ammonia - there's no good reason to risk killing a fish in a tank that is not yet ready to support life. Instead, you can either add a pinch of fish food to your tank each day, or drop in a raw shrimp. As the food or shrimp begin to decompose, ammonia levels will begin to rise. After a few days, start checking ammonia levels. After about a week, you will see a peek in ammonia and then levels will begin to decrease. The decrease in ammonia means that the levels of nitrosomonas are increasing. Once you see the decrease in ammonia, start checking nitrite levels. Like ammonia, the nitrite levels will rise for about a week until they peek and begin to decline. At this point the nitrobacter population is increasing. Once you see this decrease, you should start checking nitrate levels. Nitrate levels will increase and peak at about the same time nitrite levels reach zero. Once this has occurred, you should be at about the three-week point. In order to lower the high level of nitrates, you will need to do a massive water change - draining 50% of you water and replacing it with new saltwater. At this point you should begin to slowly add livestock while daily checking your nitrate levels. Nitrate should not exceed 40 ppm in a fish only tank, or 10 ppm in a reef tank. If you have proper filtration, stocking, and maintenance your nitrate levels should remain very close to zero. In order to keep a bacterial balance, it is wise to wait a week or more between livestock additions to your tank.
Question: What do I do now (Am I ready to add fish)?
Answer: Before you add ANY fish, coral, or invertebrate to your tank, be sure to thoroughly research your potential purchase BEFORE bringing it home. You will find that many creatures are not compatible with one another or you may find a beautiful fish only to discover that it is a voracious coral eater. Many reef keepers find it useful to compile a list of compatible fish and corals - ones that will live in harmony with one another, are well suited to your tank size, and lighting. Make sure to take the list with you whenever you go to the local fish store (lfs) so you won't be tempted to make an inappropriate spur of the moment purchase. Also be mindful of the order that you add the fish with the more territorial going in last so the less aggressive fish can establish territories.
When seeking advice at the various lfs's be mindful that just because someone works in a pet or fish store, does not mean they know what they are talking about. This seems to be especially true of the large chain stores. Unfortunately there are also those out there who will allow you to make an unwise purchase just so they can make a sale.
Although the topic is not covered here, I strongly encourage you to do some research on setting up a quarantine tank. A quarantine tank is used to monitor your new livestock for several weeks to make sure they are free of disease before adding to your main tank. It is much easier to treat for disease in a quarantine tank than it is one full of corals and other sensitive livestock. One final tip that is especially true in this hobby, "Patience IS a virtue." Take your time and make sure you make informed decisions from the very start; this will help avoid unnecessary loss of livestock as well as cost savings.
Hopefully you have found this information useful and have a better grasp on just what is involved in this wonderful hobby.
The Jedi Factor, How to Boost the Force In Your Own Life For Real
Mitochondria exist in every cell in the body and are often referred to as the energy powerhouse because they produce ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate), which is the main energy molecule in the body.
There is a theory that the mitochondria is a symbiotic life form that for whatever reason adapted to our biology through evolution and here we are today - we can't live without them, literally.
Mitochondria are so important to our lives that it has been my guess for many years that George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, got the idea of the midi-chlorians from the mitochondria.
Here is a quote from one of the Star Wars stories:
"Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. They continually speak to us, telling us the will of the Force. When you learn to quiet your mind, you'll hear them speaking to you."
- Qui-Gon Jinn, to Anakin Skywalker
The midi-chlorians are a symbiotic life form and the higher the quantity of them, the more of "The Force" there is for any particular individual such as a Jedi Knight.
Now, I'm not suggesting that by having healthy mitochondria that you will be levitating or moving objects with your mind. But, that goes to show that one of the most incredible science fiction stories of the last century thought so highly of the mitochondria, a.k.a. midi-chlorians, that they were responsible for the incredible powers of the Jedi.
An interesting fact about the mitochondria in our cells is that they are the only things in our body that have their own DNA! So it really does appear they are symbiotic little creatures that are co-existing inside of us. We'll probably never know where they came from or how they wound up in our cells but we should be thankful they're there!
Another powerful fact that is really mind-blowing is that 50% of your entire body's dry weight is nothing but pure mitochondria! That means half of you is a collective of these little creatures. Kind of reminiscent of a community of microscopic Borg isn't it?
The mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells, are mostly known for producing ATP. However, there are many other molecules that the mitochondria produce and these are known as Redox Signaling Molecules. These molecules are so important that we'd be dead without them and the more we produce, the healthier we are and the longer we live.
The Redox Signaling Molecules that are produced by our mitochondria are divided into two different categories. The first is ROS or Reactive Oxygen Species and the second is RS or Reduced Species.
The ROS molecules are responsible for attacking bad bugs in our body such as viruses and bacteria and they signal our immune system to know whether an unhealthy cell needs to be repaired or replaced.
The RS molecules are necessary to activate or turn on antioxidants so they can neutralize oxidation in the body. I'll clarify that so you there is no mistake about what I am saying. Antioxidants are 100% worthless without enough RS molecules to activate them. That's right - when people spent lots of money on expensive antioxidant juices or other forms of antioxidants, almost all of the antioxidants are completely worthless to the body since there aren't enough RS molecules produced by our mitochondria to activate them!
These redox molecules are in a perfect balance and are responsible for us having healthy cells, living longer and having more energy and vitality. Kind of sounds like having more of The Force don't you think?
What is interesting about the name midi-chlorians is that it sounds like chlorine. There are various chlorine molecules that are actually produced by our mitochondria amongst many other molecules. Some of the other molecules include ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
For many years, the science of biology has known about these molecules but has always referred to them as "cellular waste". Usually, when the scientific world doesn't know what the purpose of something is, it is labeled as unnecessary, waste, garbage and so on.
Someday, our scientific world will grow up and realize that just because we don't know what something is for doesn't mean it is not needed. You have probably heard the same about our appendix or "junk" DNA. Just because we don't fully understand what this "junk DNA" is doesn't mean that it is useless or "junk."
For a little longer than ten years, cellular biology has learned that these molecules are the Fountain of Youth, literally.
But here's the problem. A baby has 100% cellular efficiency. By the time someone is seventy years of age, their cellular efficiency is only 10%. That is a huge difference. So it is no big surprise that as we age we heal slower and have less energy, etc.... The 10% cellular efficiency at seventy is due to the fact that most of the mitochondria are damaged and can't produce any ATP or Redox Signaling Molecules!
So, when you think about Yoda or any other Jedi Knights and why they live so long, are so healthy and strong, it is no surprise that it is because they have more midi-chlorians (mitochondria) than anyone else!
If we can't give ourselves more mitochondria, the next best thing is to give ourselves the molecules that the mitochondria make. Therefore, if someone is seventy for example and they are able to give their body the Redox Signaling Molecules in a quantity that is equivalent as what they would have as a child, they would heal faster, have more energy and endurance and just about everything in their body would work better including mental function.
Welcome to the world of Redox Signaling Molecules where for the first time in history, they can be supplemented so that everyone can experience the vitality that they had as a child!
There is a theory that the mitochondria is a symbiotic life form that for whatever reason adapted to our biology through evolution and here we are today - we can't live without them, literally.
Mitochondria are so important to our lives that it has been my guess for many years that George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, got the idea of the midi-chlorians from the mitochondria.
Here is a quote from one of the Star Wars stories:
"Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. They continually speak to us, telling us the will of the Force. When you learn to quiet your mind, you'll hear them speaking to you."
- Qui-Gon Jinn, to Anakin Skywalker
The midi-chlorians are a symbiotic life form and the higher the quantity of them, the more of "The Force" there is for any particular individual such as a Jedi Knight.
Now, I'm not suggesting that by having healthy mitochondria that you will be levitating or moving objects with your mind. But, that goes to show that one of the most incredible science fiction stories of the last century thought so highly of the mitochondria, a.k.a. midi-chlorians, that they were responsible for the incredible powers of the Jedi.
An interesting fact about the mitochondria in our cells is that they are the only things in our body that have their own DNA! So it really does appear they are symbiotic little creatures that are co-existing inside of us. We'll probably never know where they came from or how they wound up in our cells but we should be thankful they're there!
Another powerful fact that is really mind-blowing is that 50% of your entire body's dry weight is nothing but pure mitochondria! That means half of you is a collective of these little creatures. Kind of reminiscent of a community of microscopic Borg isn't it?
The mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells, are mostly known for producing ATP. However, there are many other molecules that the mitochondria produce and these are known as Redox Signaling Molecules. These molecules are so important that we'd be dead without them and the more we produce, the healthier we are and the longer we live.
The Redox Signaling Molecules that are produced by our mitochondria are divided into two different categories. The first is ROS or Reactive Oxygen Species and the second is RS or Reduced Species.
The ROS molecules are responsible for attacking bad bugs in our body such as viruses and bacteria and they signal our immune system to know whether an unhealthy cell needs to be repaired or replaced.
The RS molecules are necessary to activate or turn on antioxidants so they can neutralize oxidation in the body. I'll clarify that so you there is no mistake about what I am saying. Antioxidants are 100% worthless without enough RS molecules to activate them. That's right - when people spent lots of money on expensive antioxidant juices or other forms of antioxidants, almost all of the antioxidants are completely worthless to the body since there aren't enough RS molecules produced by our mitochondria to activate them!
These redox molecules are in a perfect balance and are responsible for us having healthy cells, living longer and having more energy and vitality. Kind of sounds like having more of The Force don't you think?
What is interesting about the name midi-chlorians is that it sounds like chlorine. There are various chlorine molecules that are actually produced by our mitochondria amongst many other molecules. Some of the other molecules include ozone and hydrogen peroxide.
For many years, the science of biology has known about these molecules but has always referred to them as "cellular waste". Usually, when the scientific world doesn't know what the purpose of something is, it is labeled as unnecessary, waste, garbage and so on.
Someday, our scientific world will grow up and realize that just because we don't know what something is for doesn't mean it is not needed. You have probably heard the same about our appendix or "junk" DNA. Just because we don't fully understand what this "junk DNA" is doesn't mean that it is useless or "junk."
For a little longer than ten years, cellular biology has learned that these molecules are the Fountain of Youth, literally.
But here's the problem. A baby has 100% cellular efficiency. By the time someone is seventy years of age, their cellular efficiency is only 10%. That is a huge difference. So it is no big surprise that as we age we heal slower and have less energy, etc.... The 10% cellular efficiency at seventy is due to the fact that most of the mitochondria are damaged and can't produce any ATP or Redox Signaling Molecules!
So, when you think about Yoda or any other Jedi Knights and why they live so long, are so healthy and strong, it is no surprise that it is because they have more midi-chlorians (mitochondria) than anyone else!
If we can't give ourselves more mitochondria, the next best thing is to give ourselves the molecules that the mitochondria make. Therefore, if someone is seventy for example and they are able to give their body the Redox Signaling Molecules in a quantity that is equivalent as what they would have as a child, they would heal faster, have more energy and endurance and just about everything in their body would work better including mental function.
Welcome to the world of Redox Signaling Molecules where for the first time in history, they can be supplemented so that everyone can experience the vitality that they had as a child!
If a Man's Home is His Castle, Why is There Potpourri in My Moat?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
It happens every spring.
Outside, Mother Nature brings life to new flora and fauna, and fresh beginnings to plants and animals that survived winter's ravages. Inside, Mother McCormick brings brushes, buckets and spackle, and fresh ideas for rooms only recently refurbished.
What chromosome in women dictates to them that when daffodils come up, drop cloths must go down? What diabolical biological alarm sounds within them when buds pop, sprouts shoot, and shoots sprout? Why can they not be content to leave completely comfortable and fully decorated rooms alone, to remain as they are and age gracefully like all of Mother N's other creations? Could it be that women, continually dissatisfied with their own looks, must change the appearance of everything around them?
Friends and strangers who visit our home profess love for it. They comment on how inviting, warm, and well decorated it is. How everything complements everything else. I pray they will not utter the dreaded phrase: "It seems so lived in." Such sentiment is akin to saying to She-From-Whose-Hand-My-Heart- Dangles-Like-A-Yo-Yo: "I loved that dress when you wore it the last time."
My Bride's eyes surpass those of our cats when it comes to spotting slightly scuffed surfaces or mature paint. She scans walls like search-and-destroy radar, with an intensity that sometimes bubbles less hardy finishes. I'm a trout destined for eagle talons, floating with the current, looking for larvae, minding my own business. And ka-zowie!
"We need to repaint the living room!"
"Didn't we just give it a fresh coat?"
"Bush One was in office!"
"Still looks good!" (The paint and he.)
"Not if you look closely."
(Darn, the one day my electron-microscope is in the shop!)
"Everyone says our house looks marvelous!"
"They don't live here...and see dirt marks on the walls...chipped places on the cove molding and base-board...hair-line cracks in the plaster. And the color scheme is outdated...it's almost as bad as avocado and harvest gold."
I always imagined my perfect house would be adorned with shag carpet in those colors, and linoleum kitchen floors and appliances to match. A fully coordinated approach...now that's the mark of a true professional!
"We need swatches of various off-white colors," says She-Who- Spray-Paints-The-Morning-Sun, Power-Rollers-The-Blue-Skies- Of-Afternoon, and Brushes-The-Night-Because-It's-Too-Dark- For-The-Strokes-To-Show.
"We'll blend the ceiling, walls, and trim in various and descending shades of white. Then, we'll have our furniture recovered to supply the right splashes of color. Add a throw-pillow here and wall-hanging there to consummate the look. Won't that be nice?"
We're complete opposites. She talks...I listen.
"Yes, dear," rolled off my tongue slicker than Vaseline on a doorknob.
When wives redecorate, it's never minor surgery. It's amputate this and remove that. Items in close proximity to transgressing body parts are gangrenous and suffer the same consequences. Guilty by association, off with its head!
Paintings once revered for color, warmth, personal taste, and fond memories now share storage space in the basement with teary eyed kids, lithographs of The Duke, and dogs playing poker. (Saved and safely stored from earlier refurbishing episodes.) In their places, English watercolors, pen-and-inks of Victorian flower arrangements, and crypt rubbings of dwarf knights.
Comfortable chairs and cushy love-seats don't fit the new decor, either. From whence cometh these ladder-back Shaker chairs? (One fifteen-minute sitting and I'll confess to anything.) Canvas-covered couches trimmed with gold rope? (Old drop cloths, no doubt.) And a massive armoire set at a jaunty angle in the corner? (Lay it lengthwise and it will take up even more space.)
Years ago, as part of our marriage vows, in addition to absolute obedience I had to swear before God, a full Presbyterian congregation, close friends and relatives, and Reverend McMullen that I would leave Matters of Design and Decorating to She-Who-Must-Be-Heeded. I have lived up to those vows: Through three ancient houses; thousands of gallons of paint; quaint throw rugs in place of carpets; and antique furniture more brittle than my Great Aunt Henrietta.
Never once have I mentioned a recliner chair for the family room. Nor a solid, wood-grain Formica entertainment center with 60-inch flat-screen television. Or a maple gun cabinet to store and display my collection of ancient hunting pieces. Which probably is a good thing, too. Because those puppies are impossible to move when you need to repaint, and spring is poking its little green whiskers through the ground outside and there isn't a safe room in the house!
by Leighton McCormick
End
Outside, Mother Nature brings life to new flora and fauna, and fresh beginnings to plants and animals that survived winter's ravages. Inside, Mother McCormick brings brushes, buckets and spackle, and fresh ideas for rooms only recently refurbished.
What chromosome in women dictates to them that when daffodils come up, drop cloths must go down? What diabolical biological alarm sounds within them when buds pop, sprouts shoot, and shoots sprout? Why can they not be content to leave completely comfortable and fully decorated rooms alone, to remain as they are and age gracefully like all of Mother N's other creations? Could it be that women, continually dissatisfied with their own looks, must change the appearance of everything around them?
Friends and strangers who visit our home profess love for it. They comment on how inviting, warm, and well decorated it is. How everything complements everything else. I pray they will not utter the dreaded phrase: "It seems so lived in." Such sentiment is akin to saying to She-From-Whose-Hand-My-Heart- Dangles-Like-A-Yo-Yo: "I loved that dress when you wore it the last time."
My Bride's eyes surpass those of our cats when it comes to spotting slightly scuffed surfaces or mature paint. She scans walls like search-and-destroy radar, with an intensity that sometimes bubbles less hardy finishes. I'm a trout destined for eagle talons, floating with the current, looking for larvae, minding my own business. And ka-zowie!
"We need to repaint the living room!"
"Didn't we just give it a fresh coat?"
"Bush One was in office!"
"Still looks good!" (The paint and he.)
"Not if you look closely."
(Darn, the one day my electron-microscope is in the shop!)
"Everyone says our house looks marvelous!"
"They don't live here...and see dirt marks on the walls...chipped places on the cove molding and base-board...hair-line cracks in the plaster. And the color scheme is outdated...it's almost as bad as avocado and harvest gold."
I always imagined my perfect house would be adorned with shag carpet in those colors, and linoleum kitchen floors and appliances to match. A fully coordinated approach...now that's the mark of a true professional!
"We need swatches of various off-white colors," says She-Who- Spray-Paints-The-Morning-Sun, Power-Rollers-The-Blue-Skies- Of-Afternoon, and Brushes-The-Night-Because-It's-Too-Dark- For-The-Strokes-To-Show.
"We'll blend the ceiling, walls, and trim in various and descending shades of white. Then, we'll have our furniture recovered to supply the right splashes of color. Add a throw-pillow here and wall-hanging there to consummate the look. Won't that be nice?"
We're complete opposites. She talks...I listen.
"Yes, dear," rolled off my tongue slicker than Vaseline on a doorknob.
When wives redecorate, it's never minor surgery. It's amputate this and remove that. Items in close proximity to transgressing body parts are gangrenous and suffer the same consequences. Guilty by association, off with its head!
Paintings once revered for color, warmth, personal taste, and fond memories now share storage space in the basement with teary eyed kids, lithographs of The Duke, and dogs playing poker. (Saved and safely stored from earlier refurbishing episodes.) In their places, English watercolors, pen-and-inks of Victorian flower arrangements, and crypt rubbings of dwarf knights.
Comfortable chairs and cushy love-seats don't fit the new decor, either. From whence cometh these ladder-back Shaker chairs? (One fifteen-minute sitting and I'll confess to anything.) Canvas-covered couches trimmed with gold rope? (Old drop cloths, no doubt.) And a massive armoire set at a jaunty angle in the corner? (Lay it lengthwise and it will take up even more space.)
Years ago, as part of our marriage vows, in addition to absolute obedience I had to swear before God, a full Presbyterian congregation, close friends and relatives, and Reverend McMullen that I would leave Matters of Design and Decorating to She-Who-Must-Be-Heeded. I have lived up to those vows: Through three ancient houses; thousands of gallons of paint; quaint throw rugs in place of carpets; and antique furniture more brittle than my Great Aunt Henrietta.
Never once have I mentioned a recliner chair for the family room. Nor a solid, wood-grain Formica entertainment center with 60-inch flat-screen television. Or a maple gun cabinet to store and display my collection of ancient hunting pieces. Which probably is a good thing, too. Because those puppies are impossible to move when you need to repaint, and spring is poking its little green whiskers through the ground outside and there isn't a safe room in the house!
by Leighton McCormick
End
Career in Life Science Industry - Guide to Clinical Research Jobs
The Life Science Industry is eying every avenue of life with its microscopic lenses. Innovation is at the core in the Life Science Industry than in any other industry. The life science industry innovates new ingenious ways of putting science to good use for the benefit of millions of people worldwide. People play a crucial role in the Life Science Industry. People who make the life science industry move are miraculously involved in researching new pharmaceuticals, in developing the latest industrial processes, in production, logistics and wide range of other support services.
There is a pool of opportunity for people who wish to pursue a career in the life sciences, and have a strong inclination to make new discoveries.
We can display a whole list of different scientific disciplines that could be considered life sciences.
Molecular Biology: Molecular Biology looks at the fundamental chemistry of life.
Cell Biology: Cell biology looks at cell.
Genetics: Genetics is the study of the blue prints that we are all born with and we will pass on to our children.
Developmental Biology: The study of how Life develops and reproduces.
Evolution: The study of how life came to be the way we now know it as.
Life Science is spread over such a wide array; there are surplus job opportunities in this industry that are highly exploring in nature. Notwithstanding the current economic downturn that has left few industries unscathed, the life science industry holds a great promise of better career prospects due to increase in demand for overall better health care worldwide.
There is a wide variety of different specialized fields in the biological sciences, and the list is growing rapidly. Although many life scientists are primarily involved in research and development, and work in the laboratory or field, you may decide you want to work in another area within the science.
In layman language Life Sciences are our developing knowledge of living organisms and the use of that knowledge to grow and do things to improve our lives. Developments in the life sciences will change our lives in fundamental ways - how we live and die, what we do, our eating habits, how we manage our health and so on.
The Life Sciences focuses on developing opportunities in:
o Bio-products and Bio-materials
o Bio-energy
o Health
o Nutrition
o Environment and Climate Life Sciences
Development of new and existing strengths in this area will produce the opportunity to create value in traditional sectors and ensure that economic growth is sustainable.
Clinical Jobs - An unfolding phase of Life Sciences
Clinical research is a multinational, multi-billion and multidisciplinary industry. Clinical Research is the next big thing in offering wider scope of job opportunities in the life sciences industry. The pharmaceutical industries are among the fastest growing sectors boosting the economy making rapid strides over the years.
As compared to prior years, clinical research has undergone a remarkable evolution in the scope, sophistication and power of its methodologies. There is a remarkable change in the approach to data collection, experimental design, and data analysis and these changes provide a strong basis for clinical research jobs. Numerous advances can be cited to describe opportunities in clinical research.
The Life Science Industry is climbing the ladder of success unceasingly. It is anticipated that this industry will generate $55 billion in revenues by 2020 and will have created new high-tech and value added jobs.
There is a pool of opportunity for people who wish to pursue a career in the life sciences, and have a strong inclination to make new discoveries.
We can display a whole list of different scientific disciplines that could be considered life sciences.
Molecular Biology: Molecular Biology looks at the fundamental chemistry of life.
Cell Biology: Cell biology looks at cell.
Genetics: Genetics is the study of the blue prints that we are all born with and we will pass on to our children.
Developmental Biology: The study of how Life develops and reproduces.
Evolution: The study of how life came to be the way we now know it as.
Life Science is spread over such a wide array; there are surplus job opportunities in this industry that are highly exploring in nature. Notwithstanding the current economic downturn that has left few industries unscathed, the life science industry holds a great promise of better career prospects due to increase in demand for overall better health care worldwide.
There is a wide variety of different specialized fields in the biological sciences, and the list is growing rapidly. Although many life scientists are primarily involved in research and development, and work in the laboratory or field, you may decide you want to work in another area within the science.
In layman language Life Sciences are our developing knowledge of living organisms and the use of that knowledge to grow and do things to improve our lives. Developments in the life sciences will change our lives in fundamental ways - how we live and die, what we do, our eating habits, how we manage our health and so on.
The Life Sciences focuses on developing opportunities in:
o Bio-products and Bio-materials
o Bio-energy
o Health
o Nutrition
o Environment and Climate Life Sciences
Development of new and existing strengths in this area will produce the opportunity to create value in traditional sectors and ensure that economic growth is sustainable.
Clinical Jobs - An unfolding phase of Life Sciences
Clinical research is a multinational, multi-billion and multidisciplinary industry. Clinical Research is the next big thing in offering wider scope of job opportunities in the life sciences industry. The pharmaceutical industries are among the fastest growing sectors boosting the economy making rapid strides over the years.
As compared to prior years, clinical research has undergone a remarkable evolution in the scope, sophistication and power of its methodologies. There is a remarkable change in the approach to data collection, experimental design, and data analysis and these changes provide a strong basis for clinical research jobs. Numerous advances can be cited to describe opportunities in clinical research.
The Life Science Industry is climbing the ladder of success unceasingly. It is anticipated that this industry will generate $55 billion in revenues by 2020 and will have created new high-tech and value added jobs.
Immerse Yourself In The Deep Blue Sea With A Career As A Marine Life Technician
Monday, October 15, 2012
Are you one of those people who have a fascination for the underworld? Do you enjoy strapping on scuba gear and plunging down into the ocean's depth to commune with marine life? Many people find life under the sea a lot more interesting than life on dry land. If your dream is to have a career involving the ocean, you may want to consider earning a marine technician Associate's degree.
Marine life techs typically work under the tutelage of marine biologists. The marine biologist's job is to study living organisms inhabiting the oceans. Consequently, the responsibilities of the technician is to assist the biologist by studying marine life with the purpose of finding answers to some of the biggest problems in the world, including new food and energy sources, medicines, and new methods of weather control.
Responsibilities of the technician do not begin and end in the depths of the ocean. They complete a variety of tasks and work in the laboratories where they assist marine biologists with studying ocean life and the environmental conditions that affect it. For example, they may be charged with testing samples of seawater to determine temperature, saltiness, and pollution levels.
Some techs work in a lab that specializes in certain forms of life. For example, in an oyster lab, a one might study oyster larvae to determine if it could be produced commercially in a laboratory setting. The same experiments might be conducted in similar laboratories with an emphasis on a specific marine species to produce cancer-fighting agents.
Besides ocean and laboratory duties, a marine life technician might be a specialist on a fishing boat or fish-processing ship, where he or she might gather and process organisms that are used for research or biological specimens. These individuals may also be tasked with photographing specimens in their natural habitats through photomicrography (microscopic photos). Technicians are required to use a variety of equipment including microscopes, pH meters, spectrophotometers, and other analytical instruments.
Preparation for becoming a marine life technician should begin early on. First, you must have a genuine interest in the field. Reading related books and watching documentaries would offer insight into the field. High school hopefuls should take as many math and science classes before entering a college program. Two years of study at a community college or enrolling in a biological science degree program will prepare a person for a career as in this field. Foundational college courses for this profession are biology, chemistry, zoology, and marine botany.
Students should be aware that the employment outlook in this field is highly competitive. The need for marine scientists and technicians far exceeds the demand, and the number of government jobs (significant employers) is limited. So, you should be very sure this is the field of study you want to pursue. The median salary for a biological technician is just above $25,000, not the largest salary but can be totally worth it if you enjoy the ocean.
For more information, you are most welcome to our website:www.micriscopebiz.com
Marine life techs typically work under the tutelage of marine biologists. The marine biologist's job is to study living organisms inhabiting the oceans. Consequently, the responsibilities of the technician is to assist the biologist by studying marine life with the purpose of finding answers to some of the biggest problems in the world, including new food and energy sources, medicines, and new methods of weather control.
Responsibilities of the technician do not begin and end in the depths of the ocean. They complete a variety of tasks and work in the laboratories where they assist marine biologists with studying ocean life and the environmental conditions that affect it. For example, they may be charged with testing samples of seawater to determine temperature, saltiness, and pollution levels.
Some techs work in a lab that specializes in certain forms of life. For example, in an oyster lab, a one might study oyster larvae to determine if it could be produced commercially in a laboratory setting. The same experiments might be conducted in similar laboratories with an emphasis on a specific marine species to produce cancer-fighting agents.
Besides ocean and laboratory duties, a marine life technician might be a specialist on a fishing boat or fish-processing ship, where he or she might gather and process organisms that are used for research or biological specimens. These individuals may also be tasked with photographing specimens in their natural habitats through photomicrography (microscopic photos). Technicians are required to use a variety of equipment including microscopes, pH meters, spectrophotometers, and other analytical instruments.
Preparation for becoming a marine life technician should begin early on. First, you must have a genuine interest in the field. Reading related books and watching documentaries would offer insight into the field. High school hopefuls should take as many math and science classes before entering a college program. Two years of study at a community college or enrolling in a biological science degree program will prepare a person for a career as in this field. Foundational college courses for this profession are biology, chemistry, zoology, and marine botany.
Students should be aware that the employment outlook in this field is highly competitive. The need for marine scientists and technicians far exceeds the demand, and the number of government jobs (significant employers) is limited. So, you should be very sure this is the field of study you want to pursue. The median salary for a biological technician is just above $25,000, not the largest salary but can be totally worth it if you enjoy the ocean.
For more information, you are most welcome to our website:www.micriscopebiz.com
Ionic Air Purifiers - Safety First Redux
Ionic air purifiers derive from a multitude of technologies, all of which contain one or more beneficial reactive agents that claim to clean the air that we breathe. Manufacturers willingly publish test results to demonstrate the potency of these reactive agents against harmful contaminants.
Safety First - Beneficial Reactive Agents
Unfortunately, manufacturers are not as forthcoming with information on the potential harm to human tissue of users who are exposed to the reactive agents. The in-depth article dealing with this aspect is posted at EzineArticles.com.
Safety First Redux - Unintended By-products
Manufacturers are also not forthcoming about the by-products of their technology. Unbeknownst to many users, all ionic air purifier technologies generate by-products apart from the beneficial reactive agents. They are not deliberately produced but are simply unintended products resulting from current technological constraints.
Ozone, a component pollutant of smog, is the most common of these by-products. Smog, which hangs like a foggy cloud over some cities, is typically produced by the reaction of sunlight on automotive emissions such as carbon monoxide. Ozone in smog is blamed for many ills.
Please note that this article is not a discussion about ozone generators, a class of air purifiers that deliberately produces ozone in high enough concentrations to eliminate airborne contaminants. For instance, some hotels use ozone generators to get rid of tobacco smoke from rooms when they are being prepared for the next guest.
It is commonly accepted that ozone generators pose a danger to human tissue because ozone is an extremely reactive oxidizing agent. However, for some strange reason, ozone generators are still freely sold to home users as air purifiers. This controversy probably warrants another round of in-depth research in future.
All Ionic Air Purifiers Produce Some Ozone As A By-product
The focus of this article is on ionic air purifiers that do not deliberately produce ozone. There is no dispute that all ionic air purifier technologies are currently unable to completely eliminate ozone in the process of producing their beneficial reactive agents, be they negative ions, bipolar ions or plasmacluster ions and so on. It is a question of how much ozone is produced as an unintended by-product and at which point it becomes unhealthy and harmful to users of the ionic air purifier.
Most manufacturers emphasize that the ozone produced by their technology is very minimal. Often, they claim that it is way below 50 parts per billion (ppb), a measure of ozone concentration commonly cited by various parties around the world. Interestingly, there is no established legislation, only guidelines, regulating that ionic air purifiers cannot produce ozone in excess of 50 ppb. This leads us to the next question.
Is Ozone Concentration At 50 ppb Safe?
This is the million dollar question in the multimillion dollar ionic air purifier industry.
It is an even more important question for users (who typically have respiratory problems) of such purifiers since they may be harming themselves after spending good money on what they believe to be beneficial to their health. It should also be of great concern to health authorities since they are entrusted with setting safety standards that govern manufacturers and that users rely on when they use such equipment.
One would assume that the 50 ppb limit was scientifically set by some authorities, either medical or governmental. Shockingly, this does not seem to be the case. In fact, a prominent environmentalist suggested that this limit was arbitrarily set in the US FDA Amendment Act 1972 without any scientific basis. Yet, the 50 ppb figure is commonly cited, not just by manufacturers of ionic air purifiers but by health authorities all over the world as well.
To add to the controversy, the 50 ppb limit under the US FDA Act only applies to an air purifier that is sold as a medical device! Now, that's easy to get around. It is not common to see air purifiers being advertized as medical equipment. They are typically sold as appliances for improving air quality in the home, office, factory or school. But to their credit, manufacturers of many ionic air purifiers are voluntarily using 50 ppb as a safety limit.
There is also some measure of control imposed by the US Consumer Safety Products Act which covers ionic air purifiers that are not sold as medical devices. In a 2006 study, a US Consumer Product Safety Commission found that the 50 ppb ozone limit appears to be safe. But the Commission did highlight that ozone also enters into human dwellings from outdoor air, the so-called ambient air. This may elevate the actual ozone concentration above 50 ppb when an air purifier is being operated. Strangely again, there is no legislation in the US Consumer Safety Products Act about the 50 ppb ozone limit.
California Takes The Lead - Manufacturers Of Ionic Air Purifiers Take Note!
In October 2008, the US state of California took the first steps to regulate compliance with the 50 ppb ozone limit. It is aimed primarily at ozone generators but the regulation also covers ionic air purifiers. Serious players in the industry should be factoring this very significant development in their strategies if they do not want to see their Californian market share "terminated" (pun intended).
As users of ionic air purifiers, it is also our responsibility to take the 50 ppb ozone limit even more seriously. In scrutinizing the technical specifications of any air purifier, additional factors to consider include noting that:
(1) the 50 ppb limit should be the average concentration over a 8-hour period;
(2) the 50 ppb limit may arise from the designed emission rate or from an accumulation over time;
(3) the ionic air purifier should ideally conform with UL867, a stringent US industrial testing standard.
Scientific Assurance That 50 ppb Is Probably Safe
There is some comfort from a 2008 scientific study by Brown, Bateson & MacDonnell which concluded that exposure to 60 ppb ozone over a 6.6 hour period causes only a biologically small effect on the lungs of 24 out of 30 young healthy adults. It does seem to provide some scientific basis for the 50 ppb limit even though the study was not designed to legitimize that. Note also that the test subjects were healthy adults whereas most users of ionic air purifiers would likely be dealing with some respiratory problems.
Is 50 ppb Really Safe Now?
The current research findings above provide some reassurance. Yet it is important to be aware that there are very prominent professors like Jeffrey A. Siegel and Richard L. Corsi from the University of Texas, USA who take the view that ozone at any level is dangerous.
They believe that ozone, even at concentrations as low as 10 ppb, triggers the formation of ultra-fine particles by interacting with chemicals (terpenes) in common household products like air fresheners, perfumes, floor cleaners and all-purpose cleaners. Ozone-induced ultra-fine particles are believed to be highly dangerous to both healthy and vulnerable human populations such as children, the aged and the chronically-ill, especially those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
However the additional risks have not been quantitatively determined or adequately researched such that legislation or regulatory guidelines can be enforced. Neither is it possible at this time to declare conclusively that the downside outweighs the benefits of ionic air purifier technologies.
As with many products in our world, there are those who make it and those who fight it. Users are usually caught in between, not knowing the final outcome of their tussle until perhaps when its too late. The next big catch phrase in the ionic air purifier industry may well be "ultra-fine particles".
Common Sense Precautions In Using Ionic Air Purifiers
In the meantime, why not adopt some common sense precautions even as we seek to tap on the benefits from an ionic air purifier:
(1) manufacturer recommends continuous operation - don't just blindly follow, surely our nose can tell when its irritated;
(2) manufacturer recommends certain maintenance schedules - follow religiously here, even if it means forking out service fees;
(3) protect vulnerable members of the family - no one needs to be in a room while its being air purified;
(4) avoid usage of aerosols such as insecticides, air fresheners, perfumes and deodorants when running the air purifier;
(5) minimize other sources of ozone - e.g. outdoor ambient ozone, desktop laser printer;
(6) keep updated on developments in ionic air purifier technologies;
(7) keep track of research by prominent detractors who are eminently qualified e.g Prof. Siegel and Prof. Corsi.
There is no reason to be put off by having to take precautions when using an ionic air purifier. We do that for many appliances and machinery used in everyday living.
Ionic Air Purifiers - To Use Or Not To Use?
Despite all the controversy, there is no need to abandon the search for the ideal ionic air purifier. Why throw the baby out with the water? The ideal approach lies in keeping tabs with advancements in the various technologies, in encouraging manufacturers to be more open in their communications and in enhancing user understanding.
There is also no need to flee from ionic air purifiers to embrace the much-touted HEPA air purification technology simply out of fear or as a result of erroneous conclusions from inadequate research. There is no bias here against HEPA technology or any other air purification technology. HEPA is a time-tested great technology and should be used, but only for what it is designed to do. No one has claimed that HEPA will kill microscopic contaminants.
A key motivation for this on-going, almost obsessive, research into ionic air purifier technologies is preparing for the next global flu pandemic. To date, only the Sharp (no affiliation to the author) plasmacluster ion technology claims to destroy the bird flu virus in double quick time. Read more about this at The Ionic Air Purifier Blog.
Safety First - Beneficial Reactive Agents
Unfortunately, manufacturers are not as forthcoming with information on the potential harm to human tissue of users who are exposed to the reactive agents. The in-depth article dealing with this aspect is posted at EzineArticles.com.
Safety First Redux - Unintended By-products
Manufacturers are also not forthcoming about the by-products of their technology. Unbeknownst to many users, all ionic air purifier technologies generate by-products apart from the beneficial reactive agents. They are not deliberately produced but are simply unintended products resulting from current technological constraints.
Ozone, a component pollutant of smog, is the most common of these by-products. Smog, which hangs like a foggy cloud over some cities, is typically produced by the reaction of sunlight on automotive emissions such as carbon monoxide. Ozone in smog is blamed for many ills.
Please note that this article is not a discussion about ozone generators, a class of air purifiers that deliberately produces ozone in high enough concentrations to eliminate airborne contaminants. For instance, some hotels use ozone generators to get rid of tobacco smoke from rooms when they are being prepared for the next guest.
It is commonly accepted that ozone generators pose a danger to human tissue because ozone is an extremely reactive oxidizing agent. However, for some strange reason, ozone generators are still freely sold to home users as air purifiers. This controversy probably warrants another round of in-depth research in future.
All Ionic Air Purifiers Produce Some Ozone As A By-product
The focus of this article is on ionic air purifiers that do not deliberately produce ozone. There is no dispute that all ionic air purifier technologies are currently unable to completely eliminate ozone in the process of producing their beneficial reactive agents, be they negative ions, bipolar ions or plasmacluster ions and so on. It is a question of how much ozone is produced as an unintended by-product and at which point it becomes unhealthy and harmful to users of the ionic air purifier.
Most manufacturers emphasize that the ozone produced by their technology is very minimal. Often, they claim that it is way below 50 parts per billion (ppb), a measure of ozone concentration commonly cited by various parties around the world. Interestingly, there is no established legislation, only guidelines, regulating that ionic air purifiers cannot produce ozone in excess of 50 ppb. This leads us to the next question.
Is Ozone Concentration At 50 ppb Safe?
This is the million dollar question in the multimillion dollar ionic air purifier industry.
It is an even more important question for users (who typically have respiratory problems) of such purifiers since they may be harming themselves after spending good money on what they believe to be beneficial to their health. It should also be of great concern to health authorities since they are entrusted with setting safety standards that govern manufacturers and that users rely on when they use such equipment.
One would assume that the 50 ppb limit was scientifically set by some authorities, either medical or governmental. Shockingly, this does not seem to be the case. In fact, a prominent environmentalist suggested that this limit was arbitrarily set in the US FDA Amendment Act 1972 without any scientific basis. Yet, the 50 ppb figure is commonly cited, not just by manufacturers of ionic air purifiers but by health authorities all over the world as well.
To add to the controversy, the 50 ppb limit under the US FDA Act only applies to an air purifier that is sold as a medical device! Now, that's easy to get around. It is not common to see air purifiers being advertized as medical equipment. They are typically sold as appliances for improving air quality in the home, office, factory or school. But to their credit, manufacturers of many ionic air purifiers are voluntarily using 50 ppb as a safety limit.
There is also some measure of control imposed by the US Consumer Safety Products Act which covers ionic air purifiers that are not sold as medical devices. In a 2006 study, a US Consumer Product Safety Commission found that the 50 ppb ozone limit appears to be safe. But the Commission did highlight that ozone also enters into human dwellings from outdoor air, the so-called ambient air. This may elevate the actual ozone concentration above 50 ppb when an air purifier is being operated. Strangely again, there is no legislation in the US Consumer Safety Products Act about the 50 ppb ozone limit.
California Takes The Lead - Manufacturers Of Ionic Air Purifiers Take Note!
In October 2008, the US state of California took the first steps to regulate compliance with the 50 ppb ozone limit. It is aimed primarily at ozone generators but the regulation also covers ionic air purifiers. Serious players in the industry should be factoring this very significant development in their strategies if they do not want to see their Californian market share "terminated" (pun intended).
As users of ionic air purifiers, it is also our responsibility to take the 50 ppb ozone limit even more seriously. In scrutinizing the technical specifications of any air purifier, additional factors to consider include noting that:
(1) the 50 ppb limit should be the average concentration over a 8-hour period;
(2) the 50 ppb limit may arise from the designed emission rate or from an accumulation over time;
(3) the ionic air purifier should ideally conform with UL867, a stringent US industrial testing standard.
Scientific Assurance That 50 ppb Is Probably Safe
There is some comfort from a 2008 scientific study by Brown, Bateson & MacDonnell which concluded that exposure to 60 ppb ozone over a 6.6 hour period causes only a biologically small effect on the lungs of 24 out of 30 young healthy adults. It does seem to provide some scientific basis for the 50 ppb limit even though the study was not designed to legitimize that. Note also that the test subjects were healthy adults whereas most users of ionic air purifiers would likely be dealing with some respiratory problems.
Is 50 ppb Really Safe Now?
The current research findings above provide some reassurance. Yet it is important to be aware that there are very prominent professors like Jeffrey A. Siegel and Richard L. Corsi from the University of Texas, USA who take the view that ozone at any level is dangerous.
They believe that ozone, even at concentrations as low as 10 ppb, triggers the formation of ultra-fine particles by interacting with chemicals (terpenes) in common household products like air fresheners, perfumes, floor cleaners and all-purpose cleaners. Ozone-induced ultra-fine particles are believed to be highly dangerous to both healthy and vulnerable human populations such as children, the aged and the chronically-ill, especially those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
However the additional risks have not been quantitatively determined or adequately researched such that legislation or regulatory guidelines can be enforced. Neither is it possible at this time to declare conclusively that the downside outweighs the benefits of ionic air purifier technologies.
As with many products in our world, there are those who make it and those who fight it. Users are usually caught in between, not knowing the final outcome of their tussle until perhaps when its too late. The next big catch phrase in the ionic air purifier industry may well be "ultra-fine particles".
Common Sense Precautions In Using Ionic Air Purifiers
In the meantime, why not adopt some common sense precautions even as we seek to tap on the benefits from an ionic air purifier:
(1) manufacturer recommends continuous operation - don't just blindly follow, surely our nose can tell when its irritated;
(2) manufacturer recommends certain maintenance schedules - follow religiously here, even if it means forking out service fees;
(3) protect vulnerable members of the family - no one needs to be in a room while its being air purified;
(4) avoid usage of aerosols such as insecticides, air fresheners, perfumes and deodorants when running the air purifier;
(5) minimize other sources of ozone - e.g. outdoor ambient ozone, desktop laser printer;
(6) keep updated on developments in ionic air purifier technologies;
(7) keep track of research by prominent detractors who are eminently qualified e.g Prof. Siegel and Prof. Corsi.
There is no reason to be put off by having to take precautions when using an ionic air purifier. We do that for many appliances and machinery used in everyday living.
Ionic Air Purifiers - To Use Or Not To Use?
Despite all the controversy, there is no need to abandon the search for the ideal ionic air purifier. Why throw the baby out with the water? The ideal approach lies in keeping tabs with advancements in the various technologies, in encouraging manufacturers to be more open in their communications and in enhancing user understanding.
There is also no need to flee from ionic air purifiers to embrace the much-touted HEPA air purification technology simply out of fear or as a result of erroneous conclusions from inadequate research. There is no bias here against HEPA technology or any other air purification technology. HEPA is a time-tested great technology and should be used, but only for what it is designed to do. No one has claimed that HEPA will kill microscopic contaminants.
A key motivation for this on-going, almost obsessive, research into ionic air purifier technologies is preparing for the next global flu pandemic. To date, only the Sharp (no affiliation to the author) plasmacluster ion technology claims to destroy the bird flu virus in double quick time. Read more about this at The Ionic Air Purifier Blog.
An Overview of the Unicellular Organisms
Friday, October 12, 2012
In Biology, the unicellular organisms actually refer to the living entities that have just a single cell, and all the functions are based on them. Some of the unicellular organisms are paramecium, amoeba, bacteria, and cyanobacteria. As a student of biology, you will be taught about these organisms in the class. However, sometimes, it might not be easy to get the topics cleared in a classroom setting. The reason is the large number of students and just one teacher to answer their queries. If you are interested to gain in-depth knowledge in these topics or you wish to take up a career in this field then it is recommended that you opt for the private home tutoring services. A professional home tutor will be able to answer all your queries and help you gain proper knowledge of the subject. In this article, we will discuss regarding the functions of the unicellular organisms.
In terms of the cellular structures, the assortment of organisms is so wide that it becomes tough to understand them all. Some of the organisms are known to execute all the functions within one cell, while there are others that are made up of millions of cells. It is interesting to note that a human body is actually composed of nearly 50 to 75 trillion cells. This fact is astonishing when compared to organisms that have just a single cell.
In biology, unicellular organisms are defined as single celled organisms, where one single cell performs all the functions such as locomotion, feeding, expelling wastes, reproduction, and many more. In most cases, these organisms are microscopic and cannot be viewed with naked eye. Depending on the complexity of the cell structure, the unicellular organisms can be classified into two different types, known as prokaryote and eukaryote. The former one is quite a simple cellular structure, as compared to the latter. The prokaryotic unicellular organism is free of any cell nucleus, while the eukaryotic unicellular one has a nucleus in the cell.
Most of the microbes are unicellular in association. As per the theory of evolution, these organisms were the first to grow on Earth. Their history dates back to nearly 3.8 billion years ago. Each of the organisms has definite characteristics that help them in adapting to the wide variety of environmental conditions.
If you find this part of Biology fascinating, and wish to learn in details about the various organisms then you can take up this subject as your major. You can also consider hiring a private Biology tutor to help you understand their functions with real examples.
In terms of the cellular structures, the assortment of organisms is so wide that it becomes tough to understand them all. Some of the organisms are known to execute all the functions within one cell, while there are others that are made up of millions of cells. It is interesting to note that a human body is actually composed of nearly 50 to 75 trillion cells. This fact is astonishing when compared to organisms that have just a single cell.
In biology, unicellular organisms are defined as single celled organisms, where one single cell performs all the functions such as locomotion, feeding, expelling wastes, reproduction, and many more. In most cases, these organisms are microscopic and cannot be viewed with naked eye. Depending on the complexity of the cell structure, the unicellular organisms can be classified into two different types, known as prokaryote and eukaryote. The former one is quite a simple cellular structure, as compared to the latter. The prokaryotic unicellular organism is free of any cell nucleus, while the eukaryotic unicellular one has a nucleus in the cell.
Most of the microbes are unicellular in association. As per the theory of evolution, these organisms were the first to grow on Earth. Their history dates back to nearly 3.8 billion years ago. Each of the organisms has definite characteristics that help them in adapting to the wide variety of environmental conditions.
If you find this part of Biology fascinating, and wish to learn in details about the various organisms then you can take up this subject as your major. You can also consider hiring a private Biology tutor to help you understand their functions with real examples.
A Guide to Other Dietary Co Q10 Sources
With all of the studies proving the health benefits that coenzyme q10 provides, people are becoming increasingly interested in dietary coq10 sources. It used to be that this nutrient was only recommended for heart health, and it does play a crucial role in that area. It has since been proven that coenzyme q10 offers a wealth of other health benefits as well.
Coenzyme q10 is a compound that can be found in the mitochondria, which is the name given to the energy producing center of every cell within the body. What coenzyme q10 does is it participates in the creation of adenosine triphosphate, better known as ATP. This molecule is the primary energy source behind a number of critical biological processes, including the production of protein.
There is a decline in the automatic production of coenzyme q10, and a lack of this nutrient means that ATP does not get produced. In order for us to maintain healthy levels of coenzyme q10, we must depend more and more on dietary coq10 sources. These include oily fish, animal organs, and whole grains, but only fish provide us with more than minute amounts of this nutrient.
One of the problems we run into when trying to increase our levels of coenzyme q10 through the food that
we eat is that we cannot consume an adequate amount of fish to increase coq10 levels without endangering our health. The fish accumulate high levels of mercury, lead, nickel, cadmium, PCBs, dioxins, and furans, which make them toxic to us if consumed several times per week.
So that leaves dietary supplements as the only true coq10 sources we have to depend on. There are some very high quality supplements out there where the coenzyme q10 is broken down so that the molecules are microscopic, which makes them far more bio-available than the compound in its natural form. Most dietary supplements do not offer coenzyme q10 in this form.
The benefits you will get from increasing your levels of coenzyme q10 are the prevention of heart disease and heart failure, reduced cholesterol and blood pressure, and the prevention of heart disease due to chemotherapy. It has also been proven effective in managing diabetes, improving the immune system, boosting athletic performance, delaying the aging process, and increasing longevity.
The best dietary supplements to choose as coq10 sources will feature a total balance of vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and immunity builders. For optimum heart health you may want to go with a formula that offers folic acid and resveratrol. You may want to also consider supplementing with an omega 3 fish oil product, which have been proven to prevent heart disease and other inflammatory ailments.
You want your coq10 sources to be of the highest quality, because preventative formulas such as these can offer you the highest possible quality of life. Scientists believe that by combining the ingredients I have noted, you may be able to add a significant number of years to your life. You only live once, and you want to maximize your health so that you can make the most of the time you have been given. For more information, welcome to visit www.microscopebiz.com
Coenzyme q10 is a compound that can be found in the mitochondria, which is the name given to the energy producing center of every cell within the body. What coenzyme q10 does is it participates in the creation of adenosine triphosphate, better known as ATP. This molecule is the primary energy source behind a number of critical biological processes, including the production of protein.
There is a decline in the automatic production of coenzyme q10, and a lack of this nutrient means that ATP does not get produced. In order for us to maintain healthy levels of coenzyme q10, we must depend more and more on dietary coq10 sources. These include oily fish, animal organs, and whole grains, but only fish provide us with more than minute amounts of this nutrient.
One of the problems we run into when trying to increase our levels of coenzyme q10 through the food that
we eat is that we cannot consume an adequate amount of fish to increase coq10 levels without endangering our health. The fish accumulate high levels of mercury, lead, nickel, cadmium, PCBs, dioxins, and furans, which make them toxic to us if consumed several times per week.
So that leaves dietary supplements as the only true coq10 sources we have to depend on. There are some very high quality supplements out there where the coenzyme q10 is broken down so that the molecules are microscopic, which makes them far more bio-available than the compound in its natural form. Most dietary supplements do not offer coenzyme q10 in this form.
The benefits you will get from increasing your levels of coenzyme q10 are the prevention of heart disease and heart failure, reduced cholesterol and blood pressure, and the prevention of heart disease due to chemotherapy. It has also been proven effective in managing diabetes, improving the immune system, boosting athletic performance, delaying the aging process, and increasing longevity.
The best dietary supplements to choose as coq10 sources will feature a total balance of vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and immunity builders. For optimum heart health you may want to go with a formula that offers folic acid and resveratrol. You may want to also consider supplementing with an omega 3 fish oil product, which have been proven to prevent heart disease and other inflammatory ailments.
You want your coq10 sources to be of the highest quality, because preventative formulas such as these can offer you the highest possible quality of life. Scientists believe that by combining the ingredients I have noted, you may be able to add a significant number of years to your life. You only live once, and you want to maximize your health so that you can make the most of the time you have been given. For more information, welcome to visit www.microscopebiz.com
The Biochemist
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
A story out of Peru and the Amazon Jungle of the Microscopic World at its most terrifying point, one no one can ignore...
Erich Maria Gunderson, had long been a biochemist in Augsburg, Germany, he had taken some time off as a graduate student, to study Plant hormones and pheromones, the signaling scents used by plants, and in particular response and reaction to insects, and during these early days, went to visit a professor, by the name of Manuel Tapia, from the University of Lima, whereupon they both had went to Iquitos, took a boat 125-miles up the Amazon River to a small lodge, the region being infested with nearly every kind of insect known to mankind for research and study.
Thereafter He became a professor at Heidelberg University for a number of years, getting a regular salary and a comfortable job. That was his early life, all the way up to his sixty-forth Birthday.
What had happened to Professor Manuel Tapia, no one knows, he just up and vanished, so Erich Maria said, told the authorities, and his body was never found-suspicious as it was, nothing could be proven beyond speculation.
And of course the reason for this story is that he discovered something, now housed in a small shack, owned by a guy who owns a pottery-shop, whom also sells necklaces made out of beads and the colorful untidy heap of plant life that surrounds him-not an educated man by far, but a needful man.
Other than a few tourists and Doctoral students studying and writing on their thesis' on the indigenous people, archeology, spiders, mites, ants, beetles and so forth, botanists for the most part, the area is silent. No highways to turn off of or on to, no illumination like the Eiffel Tower or New York City at midnight, no industrial park, not much of anything.
To the outside world it looks quite dull, unromantic, not the place you'd take your sweetheart. The hut has just a simple metal roof, nothing more than a broken down wooden shed, crude at best, and Omar and his son Fillmore Dayton run the place, when not drunk, they put on rubber gloves to check on the Uninviting, as instructed by Erich Maria.
He had learned from Erich Maria, the substance was from the chemicals of plants. At the time Omar didn't take Erich seriously, but he was being paid $100-per month to simple sit in that shack, and guard the substance, three canisters about the size of an eight ounce tomato soup can, and was told not to open them, just guard them, keep it under the floor in a secure metal box, lock it, that someday he'd return for them.
He explained: that should some form of a technological company ask questions on what he was doing there, about his research, that it was no more than general lab observation, testing this and that.
Truth be told, his investigation wasn't the usual line of work, a biochemist does, it went beyond those layers.
As I was about to say, Omar had his suspicions, supposedly as often we get, in guarding something out of the ordinary, and shrugged Erich's warning aside, and took a peek, his son opening up the box, he was just a kid then, now in his thirties, Omar himself, the same age as Erich.
He did remember what Doctor Gunderson told him though: "Plants talk," he told them, "they communicate with one another by way of releasing chemicals to trigger responses."
"Why?" Omar had asked.
Gunderson saying, "Plants interchange information in particular when under attack by insects. You see there are sixty to seventy percent more insects in this world than plant life, as a result, they have a need to protect their species (survival of the fittest as Darwin would say), thus, they have created a defensive system similar to what mankind would call chemical warfare, in that they can rapidly produce toxins within their system to scare off their enemy to stop their attack, consequently making their leafage taste bad, or infect the creatures that insist on eating them while eating them, even if they taste bad. In so doing, they attack back, and during this process warn others by chemical responses that an attack is forthcoming, or in progress.
"But why a guard for a substance," pondered Omar, "that is worthless and he puts no claim to its chemical responses, or shares them with other such biochemists, for future research, isn't what it's all about? Why not just dump it in the river, or drain it in the dirt if it is so ugly?"
So what he didn't tell Omar, led him to believe it was a treasure; I mean to say, it all didn't make any sense to store it for thirty-years, well at the time, it was only ten years, and Fillmore was but thirteen years old. But he shut his mouth, he didn't want to ask too many questions, talk himself out of a job that required very little-you know what I mean.
So it was that day in September, he told his son, "I just want to know what this is all about! I want to know what's really in those canisters. I don't like being kept under the rug (sort of speaking, he inferred) for a decade... so we'll see for ourselves."
"I don't like it pa," Fillmore replied, in a near whisper.
"Probably it is nothing," his father responded, in a humors manner.
Fillmore gave him a grim look.
Omar gave him back a look that said: what do you care!
I mean, Gunderson was not going to walk thorough the door of the shack an any given minute; and true it was.
Omar pushed back the board of the floor which hid the metal box, with the three canisters under it, then folded his arms, said: "Well son, take it out."
Omar had an ample belly, hard to move at times, he had gained a sufficient amount of weight in a past decade. The son just looked at the box.
"Well, are you going to, or what?" the old man questioned.
Now pulling the box out, Fillmore felt nervous. But he felt: what the hell, if my father wants me to-he had no choice.
There were no windows in the shack. The boy put the key into the lock, opened the metal box, pulled out one canister, took the top off the canister, it wasn't easy, it had been sealed for ten-years. He thought as he glanced back at his father, what was waiting for him...
Then he saw thousands of microorganisms hundreds of bacteria species (unknowing what they were), they had grown to various sizes and shapes, he had no glasses on, his pulse was pounding, the old man pushed himself backwards, a feeling of a cool breeze hit the face of the boy, a large black substance was emitted from the canister, hanging in thin air, it moved quickly with a hum to his face, blinding him, deep grooves appeared in his face.
Omar noticed the floor was crawling with creatures as small as a grain of sand. He crouched down to look more closely, and as he peered he saw spots of a black substance covering the floor stretching itself out, he stared curiously before he thought to grab his son and run out of the shack. Fillmore was bleeding from his eyes, ears, mouth, all opened areas of the head.
"What the hell!" Omar said, afraid to touch his son, then ran and poured water over his head, buckets of water, as Fillmore stood in near shock, dripping blood onto the ground. He found some old rags, wiped his face dry, the bleeding had begun to stop.
That was twenty years ago. He had time to put things aside, clean the shack back up, say nothing to the Professor, lest he lose his salary, and he needed it. His son now half blind, red gashes on his forehead and around his eyes; he had ripped some clothing off the clothesline, wrapped it around his hands to secure the canister that day, his wrist and knuckles still had the red wounds to validate that day had come and gone.
It was now, September, 2011, he was waiting for the professor, not thinking anymore of the contents of what was in those canisters, he knew. But the professor didn't know for sure, thirty years had not killed whatever he found or created, it had fermented into a stronger substance, what on God's earth was he planning? No damned idea, he told himself. He was not sure what was coming, he just had to wait for Doctor Erich Maria.
It was September 21, 2011; Omar and his son both were lying in a hammock, half asleep outside their shack, when someone splashed them all over with the substance of one of those canisters: Omar opened his eyes, his last thoughts were, "The bastard never gave me a chance!" And then darkness closed around both of them, Omar and Fillmore. The micro organisms and its deadly potency had grown so strong, it took only a minute, and one thought to kill both father and son.
Professor Tomas Gunderson, the elder son of Professor Erich Maria, said to his father, wearing wire-framed spectacles, rubber gloves, and a kind of a white jumpsuit, "I do understand, we must be patient for the results of some experiments, and make sacrifices, such as this one for science."
His father replying, "Fill me in on the details later," and went back into the shack to consult his notes.
#835 (12-11-2011)
Envenomed
(The Microscopic World-Incarnate)
Part Two
The Microscopic Word
The boat drove away from the landing sight, the dock area, down a mile or so on a tributary of the Amazon River, brood trees shaded the river, and the dark waters of the dock and tributary, where the piranhas dwelled, the whole dark tributary infested with them.
An hour or so down river towards Iquitos, the Captain spotted his village. An open area, plateau, along the banks of the river, above a slight embankment, the area was surrounded with small huts and a large wooden structure in the middle, the sides open to the wind, it was the school, "That's my village, my home!" shouted the Captain, a little man, perhaps closer to eighty than seventy, an ugly little man with deep grooves in his face-thinned out hair, no taller than five foot four, Captain Chipana.
Professor Tomas and his father Dr. Erich Maria Gunderson made no comment.
The river turned pale dark-it was heavy with shifting clouds, and a full moon was appearing, as if out of the dust of the sky, shedding a ray of sandy light on the river as if it was a spot light.
"Folks like you usually go to the lodges along the river, normally not this far up river," the Captain told the two professors. Erich Maria looked at the Captain-thought, 'the busybody captain, why doesn't he keep to his own business...' he reminded him of an ugly toad.
The river narrowed now, with a slight zigzag to it, then they came to a fork, and the rushing waters were a bit difficult to navigate through, especially with the moon the size it was, and seemingly coming closer to the earth, with its magnetic pull. The boat tossed about some as waters shifted out of and into the colliding waterway to its right.
"Be careful," said Erich Maria, "we've got extremely rare specimens here." (Some of the species of insect, and insect-venoms were uncharted, unknown to mankind, never named.)
Looking down into his open black canvas carryon bag Erich Maria brought onboard, consisting of three canisters, one half empty, and several tubs with an assortment of poisons-, venous in them from insects such as: caterpillars, centipedes, spiders, wasps-even some from snakes, he tighten his ankles on each side of the bag to secure it more.
"You scientists are spies for some big corporation-aren't you...just robbing us Peruvians like the Spanish done hundreds of years ago with our gold." It was a statement-question for the most part, a rhetorical question at best.
The old Captain stood up, kicked the bag, "Well!" he said with a hoarse intimidating voice, "Aren't you?"
"You be careful Captain, what's in this bag will kill you and me instantly," said Tomas.
The black bag was two foot square, about eighteen inches in height, the floor of the boot was uneven beneath Erich's feet, and the bag was balanced on the open keel of the boat.
"Shoo the insects away from me," said Erich to Tomas, they were drawn to the boat's light, and Erich was now holding the bag in place with his two ankles and knees, filling a tube, and placing a syringe at its end, filling it with wasp and snake venom-thus not free to swat and shoo away the insects himself, from his face, neck, legs and forearms, and so forth.
"I want more compensation for this long ride back to Iquitos," said the Captain, in a most rough and serious tone. "And perhaps a little payment for keeping my mouth shut-who knows what you two are taking out of my lovely country, in that there bag."
"I believe you're right Captain," said Professor Erich Gunderson, irritated with the old man's threats, "I think we can accommodate that immediately." A devilish grin became apparent across Chipana's face.
"Turn the boat into the tributary over there," said Erich, pointing to his right. "We'll settle up there."
"Why?" questioned the Captain, "we can settle up right here?"
"I want the boat steady, and my bag steady when I pull out the currency in my pants pockets, if you want to get paid." He didn't say his jacket, in fear the old man would himself, insist on pulling out his wallet.
"Oh...that...okay!" agreed the old man (hesitantly).
Envenomed
Erich grabbed the arm of the Captain, fast as a wasp, he pushed the syringe deep into his upper arm, before the old Captain could figure out what he was up to, injected, envenomed him with toxin he had extracted from insects, which produced a rapid fireball throughout his Central Nervous System: the old man started to go into convulsions, a seizure, his eyes rolled up into his head.
Erich knew within a few more minutes he'd have internal hemorrhaging, it would make his heart stop (he felt the poisons, he had grabbed in the dark and mix together, not quite knowing at the time, exactly what venoms he grabbed and blended, were wasp and crab spider venoms, both very poisonous when injected in such amounts; although the snake venoms were next to them, he could have grabbed that too).
His body started to swell, as if he had elephantiasis.
It all happened so quick it was like a swap sting to the Captain-; his vital signs now were very weak.
"Wh..t it?" he tried to say.
"Wh...t did yo...u do to m..e?" he slurred out, in a questionable manner, his face distorted.
"Push him into the dark waters," commanded Erich to his son.
"The piranhas will eat him; they are like little sharks, and wolves, when it comes to smelling blood."
(SPLASH!")
((Microscopic World written 12/11/2011)( Envenomed written: 12/17/2011)
The Unknown Creature
(The Great Iron head Mite)
Part Three
Inside the second canister was small insects no bigger than a comma in this writing, they made a snapping noise, swimming in their own spaghetti like reddish matter. Professor Tomas Gunderson, was in his father's lab (Doctor Erich Maria Gunderson), testing the black marble eyed mite-its hemolymph (insect blood, for its chemical defenses, those that scare off its predators).
The young professor was slanted examining one; he picked it up with a tweezers and held it under a microscope, it struggled some, it had six legs, and that untiring clanking sound-apparently coming from its iron like jaws, round as a ladybug.
"What are these things?" he murmured to his father as he was in motion to leave the lab and go next door to his private enclosed lab (encircled with glass, where one could see the other).
"They're not known in the normal world," he confessed. "That's why I canned them, decades ago, I thought they'd be dead, and I was too fearful to take them out of Peru at the time."
Now alone, sweat dripping off his forehead, a drop fell onto the bug, the mite, he became very sticky, and he clamped on tight against the tweezers, to where Tomas, couldn't shake it loose. Thus, bringing the insect out from under the microscope, and closer to his eyes, he had no glasses on, trying to break its resistance from the surface tension, it heaped itself up and onto the eyelash of the professor, then like a blob onto the surface of his right eye, making his eye twitch rapidly, liquefying the creature.
Forward cautiously, but rapidly the mite dug into the eye sprawling its legs as if creating extending roots, as it worked its way deeper into the eyeball.
A sharp pain came to his eye, and a putrid smell, odor came out, seeped into his nostrils. He tried to pull the bug out but it kept moving inward, it was making a tunnel. The walls of the eye were protecting the creature now, and therefore, he couldn't any longer see the creature with his good eye, it had vanished. He looked into the glassed enclosed private lab, motioned to his father for assistance, as the creature seemed to grow larger, wider, and stronger.
Professor Erich Maria, swiftly hurried on out of his lab and into his son's, saw the little tunnel it had built, or dug, its body being reddish green in color, and prickly with hairs, and a head of armor, hard as hard plastic, eyes black as midnight marbles-he knew its dimensions and colors and some of its capabilities well.
Again its odors drifted out of its newly dug tunnel, tart and sharp, the smell of formic acid. He looked at the eye with great interest and intensity.
"I need to do this quickly, lest it reproduce itself and create a colony within you, and I don't know what then."
The old professor took in a deep breath, then continued, "Remain still and solid as I do what I got to do," he told his son, "this species, they're all females." Then with a sharp and heavy blow to his son's forehead, he popped out his eyeball, out of it socket, it hung like a Christmas bulb.
"Don't move," he murmured, "it's coming out of the left side, and I'll meet it."
"Um..." came from his son's mouth, trying to hold his body solid and straight.
"To be honest son, I'm a bit ignorant on this species; we'll name it the Great Tomas Iron head Mite."
"Leave my name out of it," cried his son, and then he became wordless, just wanting it all to be over with, feeling he had lost his eye, and he had. And as Erich would continue, he'd find out in due time, it was one of the most destructive invasive insects on the planet.
Notes from Professor Erich Maria Gunderson's notebook:
"January, 15, 2012. These high energy mites, large as they are, become larger and more deadly when any kind of liquid is poured onto them. Yet despite the threat that they may pose, I find them fascinating, and do not feel, I am in any real threat by them, only as a group of thousands, yet one must be careful in handling them. They vomit a substance, and chew any kind of liquid-and can absorb it, and produce glue like substances out of their six legs; especially when fear is triggered. Their chopping and clanging sounds I do believe are hunger sounds; they eat one another, a form of cannibalistic survival..." Professor EMG
#837 December, 13, 2011
The Third Canister
((The Deadly Fungus) (March, 2012))
Part Four
The young professor Tomas Gunderson's eyes were empty, vacant, body oddly twisted, as if he had had a heart attack. Greenish fungus was all about him, he looked, his body looked mushy soaked, there was a scent, an odor that exhumed from his body-that of strychnine and oleander sap, and another mysterious, but deadly odor, that he couldn't identify, before he had died.
There was a look of the forsaken on his face, and those threads of green fungus like growth.
He had been in the process of being consumed (for within the fungus, mixed with the fungus, were cylindrical animals, micro-millipedes, normally not aggressive, similar to a centipedes-and from the pores of the insects came a stanch, one Tomas could not identify, cyanide! mixed with the other lethal chemicals within the fungus...and the insects themselves had iron like jaws, and were eating, chopping there way into his flesh) when Doctor Erich Maria Gunderson entered the lab.
It was forenoon; his son had worked throughout the night evidently, so it looked. He held back his tears to investigate, knelt by his son's side, his body ravished.
Several biochemical students stood at the doorway, drooped in mystery. Tomas, He had been working on the contents within the third canister his father had brought back from the Amazon Jungle, trying to identify the smells.
"I tried so hard," the old professor professed out loud, said, cried- "He just wouldn't listen, he wanted to work on his own, make his own discoveries."
He went to enfold his son's body into his arms, at which time a young graduate student by the name of Jeff Denials, a visiting student from Bio-Tech, Chicago stopped him, holding him back saying, "You're a brave soul Doctor but this is crazy!"
The fungus had been in the canister, it was moving, as if it was alive, with wormy type organisms.
Silent and weary, the other students stood wordless at the doorway watching, as that one mysterious odor seeped about, then all of a sudden one of the female students yelled: "Be careful Jeff, I smell deadly fumes, I think it is an incredible toxic, I can't seem to name it though."
Jeff spoke: "We've got to move out of here professor, lock this lab up tight!" then grabbing a yardstick, coughing and coking from the fumes, his eyes watering, he slashed at the fungus as if it was a monster, as if he was holding a machete. Then he cringed from the fumes, his throat tightened, the micro-organisms were multiplying, the fungus widening-as he stood up, the old professor had died, a heart attack from the fumes, and lethal chemicals in the fungus. Thus, Jeff held his breath; beat off the fungus that made it to his shoes, in particular, onto his right shoe, striking at the substance, the micro-movements in the fungus, and then kicked off his right shoe.
The fungus squirmed all about the shoe; it had Jeff's scent in it.
As he looked down and onto the body of the old professor, he had been covered over by the fungus, like a green shroud.
Then the primitive part of his brain was activated and he could no longer hold his breath (for had he not up to this point, the fumes would have stopped his heart). Thus, so-called reality had sunk in; he rushed to the door, released the carbon dioxide within his lungs, locked the door in front of him and with his comrades, ran to the parking lot- (class dismissed...).
# 838 (12/14/2011)
Jeff Denials Micro Prey
((Chicago, Micro-Biochemistry Tech) (July 2, 2012))
Part Five
For Jeff Denials, life went on as normal for the month of April, 2012-now back in Illinois, at Chicago Micro-Biochemistry Tech (CMBT-or Bio-Tech). But inside his body, his biological system had been invaded; deep inside his guts were bacteria from the fungus and its micro organisms, perhaps an insidious micro-prey.
Strange as it was, he couldn't figure out why he had lost the capabilities of smell and taste. In those following days after his visit to the Minnesota biochemistry lab, it was as if the atoms inside of him were mismatched-with life outside of him. Something was wrong, perchance an alteration inside his body was in process, and his system was having a hard time interacting, adjusting, again I say with the atoms around him, in the outside world: so he was thinking.
He had no concrete idea; neither did Doctor Stan Weber, professor at Chicago Micro-Biochemical lab 4; young Daniels professor.
By and large, Jeff was a happy go lucky fellow, student, now he brought with him wherever he absorbed in Minnesota, thus, producing, an eerie pale composure, countenance. Had you asked him, he would have said it was due to those dooming echoes that flowed cumbersome throughout his head, his body: like trimmers prior to an earthquake.
"By gosh, what is it?" he murmured to the professor, in lab four.
In May everything from the outside world coming in, he heard in low frequencies, contrary to what was happening inside of him. He was feeling some form of lethal presence inside of him.
"I'm beginning to understand," he told the professor, "how it is to slowly go insane."
In June, one afternoon he lost his balance and began staggering as if he was drunk on a sinking ship. The professor scrambled to his rescue; catching him just in time before he fell right onto the hard concrete floor in lab four.
Upon awakening for a brief moment, he told the Professor-in so may words-the only thing I can remember is: the earth under my feet started to rumble and groan and my heart started hammering... in plain words he whispered: "My chest is crashing."
Whatever it was whatever he saw, appeared, and materialized a moment before his death: as if he could see right into his body, his heart section, and then he passed on.
(It was as if a flying predator, with whooshing roars, was climbing out of his stomach, then crisscrossing his head, and somehow ended up in or on, his heart. That all of a sudden pulled the cord of life out from under him).
Notes from Professor Stan Weber's Journal (July 2, 2012): "The best conclusions I can theorize about Jeff Denials mysterious death, a graduate student here at Chicago Micro-Biochemistry Tech, in the biochemistry lab four, goes as follows: he breathed in some form of micro-physical-organism, while in the Minnesota lab, during his visit there in March, of 2012. His body started up some kind of defenseless-well, for lack of a better word, some kind of a weak defense system against the invading prey; that being, sound waves, noises, drumming or banging sounds. The prey went from his abdomen to his brain, via, bloodstream, perhaps tumbling along its way. The prey hearing the echoes that his body produced (and that he was hearing himself, which was driving him crazy) that was telling the prey to leave, telling all the systems at in his body at the same time to be on guard of this invader, was at this time searching for the kill zone, while at the same time forming a larger shape, growing. To Jeff's brain the prey was invisible, and when it sensed its presence in one area, it had already left, it was already in another. As the prey closed in on its kill zone-the heart, the sounds became louder for Jeff. The prey tried in a way to jam the sounds and couldn't, thus it started to eat at the heart itself, and abruptly killing its own world around it. I have to assume the worse, that it found a new home, I just hope it is not me!"
#839 (12/15/2011)
The Uninviting, Envenomed, The Unknown Creature, The Third Canister, Jeff Daniels Micro Prey A Five Part Story "The Biochemist"... The Uninviting Envenomed, The Unknown Creature, The Third Canister, Jeff Daniels Micro Prey...The Uninviting, Part One, ?A story out of Peru and the Amazon Jungle of the Microscopic World at its most terrifying...
Erich Maria Gunderson, had long been a biochemist in Augsburg, Germany, he had taken some time off as a graduate student, to study Plant hormones and pheromones, the signaling scents used by plants, and in particular response and reaction to insects, and during these early days, went to visit a professor, by the name of Manuel Tapia, from the University of Lima, whereupon they both had went to Iquitos, took a boat 125-miles up the Amazon River to a small lodge, the region being infested with nearly every kind of insect known to mankind for research and study.
Thereafter He became a professor at Heidelberg University for a number of years, getting a regular salary and a comfortable job. That was his early life, all the way up to his sixty-forth Birthday.
What had happened to Professor Manuel Tapia, no one knows, he just up and vanished, so Erich Maria said, told the authorities, and his body was never found-suspicious as it was, nothing could be proven beyond speculation.
And of course the reason for this story is that he discovered something, now housed in a small shack, owned by a guy who owns a pottery-shop, whom also sells necklaces made out of beads and the colorful untidy heap of plant life that surrounds him-not an educated man by far, but a needful man.
Other than a few tourists and Doctoral students studying and writing on their thesis' on the indigenous people, archeology, spiders, mites, ants, beetles and so forth, botanists for the most part, the area is silent. No highways to turn off of or on to, no illumination like the Eiffel Tower or New York City at midnight, no industrial park, not much of anything.
To the outside world it looks quite dull, unromantic, not the place you'd take your sweetheart. The hut has just a simple metal roof, nothing more than a broken down wooden shed, crude at best, and Omar and his son Fillmore Dayton run the place, when not drunk, they put on rubber gloves to check on the Uninviting, as instructed by Erich Maria.
He had learned from Erich Maria, the substance was from the chemicals of plants. At the time Omar didn't take Erich seriously, but he was being paid $100-per month to simple sit in that shack, and guard the substance, three canisters about the size of an eight ounce tomato soup can, and was told not to open them, just guard them, keep it under the floor in a secure metal box, lock it, that someday he'd return for them.
He explained: that should some form of a technological company ask questions on what he was doing there, about his research, that it was no more than general lab observation, testing this and that.
Truth be told, his investigation wasn't the usual line of work, a biochemist does, it went beyond those layers.
As I was about to say, Omar had his suspicions, supposedly as often we get, in guarding something out of the ordinary, and shrugged Erich's warning aside, and took a peek, his son opening up the box, he was just a kid then, now in his thirties, Omar himself, the same age as Erich.
He did remember what Doctor Gunderson told him though: "Plants talk," he told them, "they communicate with one another by way of releasing chemicals to trigger responses."
"Why?" Omar had asked.
Gunderson saying, "Plants interchange information in particular when under attack by insects. You see there are sixty to seventy percent more insects in this world than plant life, as a result, they have a need to protect their species (survival of the fittest as Darwin would say), thus, they have created a defensive system similar to what mankind would call chemical warfare, in that they can rapidly produce toxins within their system to scare off their enemy to stop their attack, consequently making their leafage taste bad, or infect the creatures that insist on eating them while eating them, even if they taste bad. In so doing, they attack back, and during this process warn others by chemical responses that an attack is forthcoming, or in progress.
"But why a guard for a substance," pondered Omar, "that is worthless and he puts no claim to its chemical responses, or shares them with other such biochemists, for future research, isn't what it's all about? Why not just dump it in the river, or drain it in the dirt if it is so ugly?"
So what he didn't tell Omar, led him to believe it was a treasure; I mean to say, it all didn't make any sense to store it for thirty-years, well at the time, it was only ten years, and Fillmore was but thirteen years old. But he shut his mouth, he didn't want to ask too many questions, talk himself out of a job that required very little-you know what I mean.
So it was that day in September, he told his son, "I just want to know what this is all about! I want to know what's really in those canisters. I don't like being kept under the rug (sort of speaking, he inferred) for a decade... so we'll see for ourselves."
"I don't like it pa," Fillmore replied, in a near whisper.
"Probably it is nothing," his father responded, in a humors manner.
Fillmore gave him a grim look.
Omar gave him back a look that said: what do you care!
I mean, Gunderson was not going to walk thorough the door of the shack an any given minute; and true it was.
Omar pushed back the board of the floor which hid the metal box, with the three canisters under it, then folded his arms, said: "Well son, take it out."
Omar had an ample belly, hard to move at times, he had gained a sufficient amount of weight in a past decade. The son just looked at the box.
"Well, are you going to, or what?" the old man questioned.
Now pulling the box out, Fillmore felt nervous. But he felt: what the hell, if my father wants me to-he had no choice.
There were no windows in the shack. The boy put the key into the lock, opened the metal box, pulled out one canister, took the top off the canister, it wasn't easy, it had been sealed for ten-years. He thought as he glanced back at his father, what was waiting for him...
Then he saw thousands of microorganisms hundreds of bacteria species (unknowing what they were), they had grown to various sizes and shapes, he had no glasses on, his pulse was pounding, the old man pushed himself backwards, a feeling of a cool breeze hit the face of the boy, a large black substance was emitted from the canister, hanging in thin air, it moved quickly with a hum to his face, blinding him, deep grooves appeared in his face.
Omar noticed the floor was crawling with creatures as small as a grain of sand. He crouched down to look more closely, and as he peered he saw spots of a black substance covering the floor stretching itself out, he stared curiously before he thought to grab his son and run out of the shack. Fillmore was bleeding from his eyes, ears, mouth, all opened areas of the head.
"What the hell!" Omar said, afraid to touch his son, then ran and poured water over his head, buckets of water, as Fillmore stood in near shock, dripping blood onto the ground. He found some old rags, wiped his face dry, the bleeding had begun to stop.
That was twenty years ago. He had time to put things aside, clean the shack back up, say nothing to the Professor, lest he lose his salary, and he needed it. His son now half blind, red gashes on his forehead and around his eyes; he had ripped some clothing off the clothesline, wrapped it around his hands to secure the canister that day, his wrist and knuckles still had the red wounds to validate that day had come and gone.
It was now, September, 2011, he was waiting for the professor, not thinking anymore of the contents of what was in those canisters, he knew. But the professor didn't know for sure, thirty years had not killed whatever he found or created, it had fermented into a stronger substance, what on God's earth was he planning? No damned idea, he told himself. He was not sure what was coming, he just had to wait for Doctor Erich Maria.
It was September 21, 2011; Omar and his son both were lying in a hammock, half asleep outside their shack, when someone splashed them all over with the substance of one of those canisters: Omar opened his eyes, his last thoughts were, "The bastard never gave me a chance!" And then darkness closed around both of them, Omar and Fillmore. The micro organisms and its deadly potency had grown so strong, it took only a minute, and one thought to kill both father and son.
Professor Tomas Gunderson, the elder son of Professor Erich Maria, said to his father, wearing wire-framed spectacles, rubber gloves, and a kind of a white jumpsuit, "I do understand, we must be patient for the results of some experiments, and make sacrifices, such as this one for science."
His father replying, "Fill me in on the details later," and went back into the shack to consult his notes.
#835 (12-11-2011)
Envenomed
(The Microscopic World-Incarnate)
Part Two
The Microscopic Word
The boat drove away from the landing sight, the dock area, down a mile or so on a tributary of the Amazon River, brood trees shaded the river, and the dark waters of the dock and tributary, where the piranhas dwelled, the whole dark tributary infested with them.
An hour or so down river towards Iquitos, the Captain spotted his village. An open area, plateau, along the banks of the river, above a slight embankment, the area was surrounded with small huts and a large wooden structure in the middle, the sides open to the wind, it was the school, "That's my village, my home!" shouted the Captain, a little man, perhaps closer to eighty than seventy, an ugly little man with deep grooves in his face-thinned out hair, no taller than five foot four, Captain Chipana.
Professor Tomas and his father Dr. Erich Maria Gunderson made no comment.
The river turned pale dark-it was heavy with shifting clouds, and a full moon was appearing, as if out of the dust of the sky, shedding a ray of sandy light on the river as if it was a spot light.
"Folks like you usually go to the lodges along the river, normally not this far up river," the Captain told the two professors. Erich Maria looked at the Captain-thought, 'the busybody captain, why doesn't he keep to his own business...' he reminded him of an ugly toad.
The river narrowed now, with a slight zigzag to it, then they came to a fork, and the rushing waters were a bit difficult to navigate through, especially with the moon the size it was, and seemingly coming closer to the earth, with its magnetic pull. The boat tossed about some as waters shifted out of and into the colliding waterway to its right.
"Be careful," said Erich Maria, "we've got extremely rare specimens here." (Some of the species of insect, and insect-venoms were uncharted, unknown to mankind, never named.)
Looking down into his open black canvas carryon bag Erich Maria brought onboard, consisting of three canisters, one half empty, and several tubs with an assortment of poisons-, venous in them from insects such as: caterpillars, centipedes, spiders, wasps-even some from snakes, he tighten his ankles on each side of the bag to secure it more.
"You scientists are spies for some big corporation-aren't you...just robbing us Peruvians like the Spanish done hundreds of years ago with our gold." It was a statement-question for the most part, a rhetorical question at best.
The old Captain stood up, kicked the bag, "Well!" he said with a hoarse intimidating voice, "Aren't you?"
"You be careful Captain, what's in this bag will kill you and me instantly," said Tomas.
The black bag was two foot square, about eighteen inches in height, the floor of the boot was uneven beneath Erich's feet, and the bag was balanced on the open keel of the boat.
"Shoo the insects away from me," said Erich to Tomas, they were drawn to the boat's light, and Erich was now holding the bag in place with his two ankles and knees, filling a tube, and placing a syringe at its end, filling it with wasp and snake venom-thus not free to swat and shoo away the insects himself, from his face, neck, legs and forearms, and so forth.
"I want more compensation for this long ride back to Iquitos," said the Captain, in a most rough and serious tone. "And perhaps a little payment for keeping my mouth shut-who knows what you two are taking out of my lovely country, in that there bag."
"I believe you're right Captain," said Professor Erich Gunderson, irritated with the old man's threats, "I think we can accommodate that immediately." A devilish grin became apparent across Chipana's face.
"Turn the boat into the tributary over there," said Erich, pointing to his right. "We'll settle up there."
"Why?" questioned the Captain, "we can settle up right here?"
"I want the boat steady, and my bag steady when I pull out the currency in my pants pockets, if you want to get paid." He didn't say his jacket, in fear the old man would himself, insist on pulling out his wallet.
"Oh...that...okay!" agreed the old man (hesitantly).
Envenomed
Erich grabbed the arm of the Captain, fast as a wasp, he pushed the syringe deep into his upper arm, before the old Captain could figure out what he was up to, injected, envenomed him with toxin he had extracted from insects, which produced a rapid fireball throughout his Central Nervous System: the old man started to go into convulsions, a seizure, his eyes rolled up into his head.
Erich knew within a few more minutes he'd have internal hemorrhaging, it would make his heart stop (he felt the poisons, he had grabbed in the dark and mix together, not quite knowing at the time, exactly what venoms he grabbed and blended, were wasp and crab spider venoms, both very poisonous when injected in such amounts; although the snake venoms were next to them, he could have grabbed that too).
His body started to swell, as if he had elephantiasis.
It all happened so quick it was like a swap sting to the Captain-; his vital signs now were very weak.
"Wh..t it?" he tried to say.
"Wh...t did yo...u do to m..e?" he slurred out, in a questionable manner, his face distorted.
"Push him into the dark waters," commanded Erich to his son.
"The piranhas will eat him; they are like little sharks, and wolves, when it comes to smelling blood."
(SPLASH!")
((Microscopic World written 12/11/2011)( Envenomed written: 12/17/2011)
The Unknown Creature
(The Great Iron head Mite)
Part Three
Inside the second canister was small insects no bigger than a comma in this writing, they made a snapping noise, swimming in their own spaghetti like reddish matter. Professor Tomas Gunderson, was in his father's lab (Doctor Erich Maria Gunderson), testing the black marble eyed mite-its hemolymph (insect blood, for its chemical defenses, those that scare off its predators).
The young professor was slanted examining one; he picked it up with a tweezers and held it under a microscope, it struggled some, it had six legs, and that untiring clanking sound-apparently coming from its iron like jaws, round as a ladybug.
"What are these things?" he murmured to his father as he was in motion to leave the lab and go next door to his private enclosed lab (encircled with glass, where one could see the other).
"They're not known in the normal world," he confessed. "That's why I canned them, decades ago, I thought they'd be dead, and I was too fearful to take them out of Peru at the time."
Now alone, sweat dripping off his forehead, a drop fell onto the bug, the mite, he became very sticky, and he clamped on tight against the tweezers, to where Tomas, couldn't shake it loose. Thus, bringing the insect out from under the microscope, and closer to his eyes, he had no glasses on, trying to break its resistance from the surface tension, it heaped itself up and onto the eyelash of the professor, then like a blob onto the surface of his right eye, making his eye twitch rapidly, liquefying the creature.
Forward cautiously, but rapidly the mite dug into the eye sprawling its legs as if creating extending roots, as it worked its way deeper into the eyeball.
A sharp pain came to his eye, and a putrid smell, odor came out, seeped into his nostrils. He tried to pull the bug out but it kept moving inward, it was making a tunnel. The walls of the eye were protecting the creature now, and therefore, he couldn't any longer see the creature with his good eye, it had vanished. He looked into the glassed enclosed private lab, motioned to his father for assistance, as the creature seemed to grow larger, wider, and stronger.
Professor Erich Maria, swiftly hurried on out of his lab and into his son's, saw the little tunnel it had built, or dug, its body being reddish green in color, and prickly with hairs, and a head of armor, hard as hard plastic, eyes black as midnight marbles-he knew its dimensions and colors and some of its capabilities well.
Again its odors drifted out of its newly dug tunnel, tart and sharp, the smell of formic acid. He looked at the eye with great interest and intensity.
"I need to do this quickly, lest it reproduce itself and create a colony within you, and I don't know what then."
The old professor took in a deep breath, then continued, "Remain still and solid as I do what I got to do," he told his son, "this species, they're all females." Then with a sharp and heavy blow to his son's forehead, he popped out his eyeball, out of it socket, it hung like a Christmas bulb.
"Don't move," he murmured, "it's coming out of the left side, and I'll meet it."
"Um..." came from his son's mouth, trying to hold his body solid and straight.
"To be honest son, I'm a bit ignorant on this species; we'll name it the Great Tomas Iron head Mite."
"Leave my name out of it," cried his son, and then he became wordless, just wanting it all to be over with, feeling he had lost his eye, and he had. And as Erich would continue, he'd find out in due time, it was one of the most destructive invasive insects on the planet.
Notes from Professor Erich Maria Gunderson's notebook:
"January, 15, 2012. These high energy mites, large as they are, become larger and more deadly when any kind of liquid is poured onto them. Yet despite the threat that they may pose, I find them fascinating, and do not feel, I am in any real threat by them, only as a group of thousands, yet one must be careful in handling them. They vomit a substance, and chew any kind of liquid-and can absorb it, and produce glue like substances out of their six legs; especially when fear is triggered. Their chopping and clanging sounds I do believe are hunger sounds; they eat one another, a form of cannibalistic survival..." Professor EMG
#837 December, 13, 2011
The Third Canister
((The Deadly Fungus) (March, 2012))
Part Four
The young professor Tomas Gunderson's eyes were empty, vacant, body oddly twisted, as if he had had a heart attack. Greenish fungus was all about him, he looked, his body looked mushy soaked, there was a scent, an odor that exhumed from his body-that of strychnine and oleander sap, and another mysterious, but deadly odor, that he couldn't identify, before he had died.
There was a look of the forsaken on his face, and those threads of green fungus like growth.
He had been in the process of being consumed (for within the fungus, mixed with the fungus, were cylindrical animals, micro-millipedes, normally not aggressive, similar to a centipedes-and from the pores of the insects came a stanch, one Tomas could not identify, cyanide! mixed with the other lethal chemicals within the fungus...and the insects themselves had iron like jaws, and were eating, chopping there way into his flesh) when Doctor Erich Maria Gunderson entered the lab.
It was forenoon; his son had worked throughout the night evidently, so it looked. He held back his tears to investigate, knelt by his son's side, his body ravished.
Several biochemical students stood at the doorway, drooped in mystery. Tomas, He had been working on the contents within the third canister his father had brought back from the Amazon Jungle, trying to identify the smells.
"I tried so hard," the old professor professed out loud, said, cried- "He just wouldn't listen, he wanted to work on his own, make his own discoveries."
He went to enfold his son's body into his arms, at which time a young graduate student by the name of Jeff Denials, a visiting student from Bio-Tech, Chicago stopped him, holding him back saying, "You're a brave soul Doctor but this is crazy!"
The fungus had been in the canister, it was moving, as if it was alive, with wormy type organisms.
Silent and weary, the other students stood wordless at the doorway watching, as that one mysterious odor seeped about, then all of a sudden one of the female students yelled: "Be careful Jeff, I smell deadly fumes, I think it is an incredible toxic, I can't seem to name it though."
Jeff spoke: "We've got to move out of here professor, lock this lab up tight!" then grabbing a yardstick, coughing and coking from the fumes, his eyes watering, he slashed at the fungus as if it was a monster, as if he was holding a machete. Then he cringed from the fumes, his throat tightened, the micro-organisms were multiplying, the fungus widening-as he stood up, the old professor had died, a heart attack from the fumes, and lethal chemicals in the fungus. Thus, Jeff held his breath; beat off the fungus that made it to his shoes, in particular, onto his right shoe, striking at the substance, the micro-movements in the fungus, and then kicked off his right shoe.
The fungus squirmed all about the shoe; it had Jeff's scent in it.
As he looked down and onto the body of the old professor, he had been covered over by the fungus, like a green shroud.
Then the primitive part of his brain was activated and he could no longer hold his breath (for had he not up to this point, the fumes would have stopped his heart). Thus, so-called reality had sunk in; he rushed to the door, released the carbon dioxide within his lungs, locked the door in front of him and with his comrades, ran to the parking lot- (class dismissed...).
# 838 (12/14/2011)
Jeff Denials Micro Prey
((Chicago, Micro-Biochemistry Tech) (July 2, 2012))
Part Five
For Jeff Denials, life went on as normal for the month of April, 2012-now back in Illinois, at Chicago Micro-Biochemistry Tech (CMBT-or Bio-Tech). But inside his body, his biological system had been invaded; deep inside his guts were bacteria from the fungus and its micro organisms, perhaps an insidious micro-prey.
Strange as it was, he couldn't figure out why he had lost the capabilities of smell and taste. In those following days after his visit to the Minnesota biochemistry lab, it was as if the atoms inside of him were mismatched-with life outside of him. Something was wrong, perchance an alteration inside his body was in process, and his system was having a hard time interacting, adjusting, again I say with the atoms around him, in the outside world: so he was thinking.
He had no concrete idea; neither did Doctor Stan Weber, professor at Chicago Micro-Biochemical lab 4; young Daniels professor.
By and large, Jeff was a happy go lucky fellow, student, now he brought with him wherever he absorbed in Minnesota, thus, producing, an eerie pale composure, countenance. Had you asked him, he would have said it was due to those dooming echoes that flowed cumbersome throughout his head, his body: like trimmers prior to an earthquake.
"By gosh, what is it?" he murmured to the professor, in lab four.
In May everything from the outside world coming in, he heard in low frequencies, contrary to what was happening inside of him. He was feeling some form of lethal presence inside of him.
"I'm beginning to understand," he told the professor, "how it is to slowly go insane."
In June, one afternoon he lost his balance and began staggering as if he was drunk on a sinking ship. The professor scrambled to his rescue; catching him just in time before he fell right onto the hard concrete floor in lab four.
Upon awakening for a brief moment, he told the Professor-in so may words-the only thing I can remember is: the earth under my feet started to rumble and groan and my heart started hammering... in plain words he whispered: "My chest is crashing."
Whatever it was whatever he saw, appeared, and materialized a moment before his death: as if he could see right into his body, his heart section, and then he passed on.
(It was as if a flying predator, with whooshing roars, was climbing out of his stomach, then crisscrossing his head, and somehow ended up in or on, his heart. That all of a sudden pulled the cord of life out from under him).
Notes from Professor Stan Weber's Journal (July 2, 2012): "The best conclusions I can theorize about Jeff Denials mysterious death, a graduate student here at Chicago Micro-Biochemistry Tech, in the biochemistry lab four, goes as follows: he breathed in some form of micro-physical-organism, while in the Minnesota lab, during his visit there in March, of 2012. His body started up some kind of defenseless-well, for lack of a better word, some kind of a weak defense system against the invading prey; that being, sound waves, noises, drumming or banging sounds. The prey went from his abdomen to his brain, via, bloodstream, perhaps tumbling along its way. The prey hearing the echoes that his body produced (and that he was hearing himself, which was driving him crazy) that was telling the prey to leave, telling all the systems at in his body at the same time to be on guard of this invader, was at this time searching for the kill zone, while at the same time forming a larger shape, growing. To Jeff's brain the prey was invisible, and when it sensed its presence in one area, it had already left, it was already in another. As the prey closed in on its kill zone-the heart, the sounds became louder for Jeff. The prey tried in a way to jam the sounds and couldn't, thus it started to eat at the heart itself, and abruptly killing its own world around it. I have to assume the worse, that it found a new home, I just hope it is not me!"
#839 (12/15/2011)
The Uninviting, Envenomed, The Unknown Creature, The Third Canister, Jeff Daniels Micro Prey A Five Part Story "The Biochemist"... The Uninviting Envenomed, The Unknown Creature, The Third Canister, Jeff Daniels Micro Prey...The Uninviting, Part One, ?A story out of Peru and the Amazon Jungle of the Microscopic World at its most terrifying...
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