That's the drawback of the modern lab mouse. It's cheap, efficient, and highly standardized—all of which qualities have made it the favorite tool of large-scale biomedical research. But as Mattson points out, there's a danger to taking so much of our knowledge straight from the animal assembly line. The inbred, factory-farmed rodents in use today—raised by the millions in germ-free barrier rooms, overfed and understimulated and in some cases pumped through with antibiotics—may be placing unseen constraints on what we know and learn.

Slate has just finished a three part series on the pitfalls and promises of laboratory animals. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) [more inside]
posted by tocts on Nov 18, 2011 - 21 comments

From the maker of Tone Matrix -- a new musical toy. [previously]
posted by cubby on Jul 9, 2010 - 24 comments

The structure functions as a living and working environment, solar powered, and able to support 3 people for up to 40 days. Avowedly utopian in its objectives, the insulation/isolation strategy aims to achieve total independence from social conditions in order to create a reflective space. [more inside]
posted by circular on Jun 14, 2010 - 3 comments

Last August, six Harvard scientists went to the hospital after drinking coffee laced with sodium azide, in what appears to be a delibarate posioning. Previous laboratory-related poisonings have occured at other prestigious institutions, although radioactivity is generally the method of choice. [more inside]
posted by emd3737 on Nov 7, 2009 - 57 comments

Electronic Masks and Calculated Movements are two early computer animation projects featured at EVLTube, the YouTube channel for UIC's Electronic Visualization Laboratory. In additon to the video archive, the EVL website also features a trove of interesting current EV projects like snstncntnrs and Unfolding Space, not to mention extensive notes on the fascinating research conducted and devices used at the facility. [more inside]
posted by carsonb on Jan 10, 2009 - 4 comments

Venter made an artificial chromosome and may have already created artificial life in his lab. Is it a solution for global warming, or a plot for world domination? Anyway, it's a lot to think about and discuss.
posted by strangeguitars on Oct 6, 2007 - 35 comments

Think meat is murder? Grow it in a lab! Anyone for test-tube t-bone?
posted by dingobully on Sep 14, 2005 - 55 comments

How to Build Your Own Scientific Laboratory For Free: Parts One, Two, and Three. (Though I suppose if you have a bit of cash and happen to live in Boston, you can always check out the MIT Swap Meet to pick up those endless piles of oscillators or half-functioning VAX computers you almost certainly need...)
posted by kaibutsu on Aug 23, 2004 - 2 comments