An almost understandable explanation of 10 dimensional space.
Friday, November 7, 2008
and you think you have it tough
In its final days Phoenix, the NASA lander that since May has been scraping at subsurface ice in the martian arctic, is blinking in and out of contact with Earth.
As temperatures plummeted to nearly −100 °C and dust storms and clouds obscured an enfeebled sun, the spacecraft last week missed several chances to communicate with satellites passing overhead.
Phoenix is almost certain not to survive the coming winter. Thick slabs of frozen carbon dioxide will coat the spacecraft, and its electronics will break for good... (nature.com)
As temperatures plummeted to nearly −100 °C and dust storms and clouds obscured an enfeebled sun, the spacecraft last week missed several chances to communicate with satellites passing overhead.
Phoenix is almost certain not to survive the coming winter. Thick slabs of frozen carbon dioxide will coat the spacecraft, and its electronics will break for good... (nature.com)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Yes Sire,
We got to play with little baby Sophie last night; who at 9 days old is the most phenomenal ramification of a mere 9 months, 19,000 genes and 165,000 introns. She is beautiful and healthy.
At the other extreme, yesterday saw the passing of Rumba (pictured) at the age of 13 from natural causes. He used his time to great effect, being the sire of in excess of 100,000 daughters… think about it… 13 years… >8,000 off spring per year… it is no wonder he is considered an Austrian national hero.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Dear Doctor of Philosophy
While this process has defined most of my adult life (and it is nice to be finished) it has been engorged by everyone who pushed, pulled, carried and subsidised this ritualistic journey.
Please accept a little of this Philosophiæ Doctor in thanks.
Now, if anyone has problems with their philosophy I am more than happy to dispense advice at the going rate.
Ashley
Do you come here often?
It has been a full 6 months since Jacki&Ash departed Melbourne for a few expensive day in Toyko and the new world of life in Europe. In that time Vienna has grown to feel like our new home (now, but not forever), helped in a large part by enjoyable visits from Josh, Andrea & Steve, from Andrew, Ian & Fiona, also Brendon, Perry, Talya, Aisha and Sarah. We are also excited about the imminent arrival of Ro & Gary, and also in the new-year of Alastair & Elanor, Emily and MaiDo. All other punters who slip through Vienna are more than welcome to doss at Jägerstraßer.
Jacki has taken to her PhD research like a duck on the Danube. She is exploring any possible role that micro-RNA molecules might be playing in the consolidation of memories in neurons of the brain. Her model system, mouse adult hyppocampal neurons, are practically well suited to study the adaptive changes that allow the brain to develop and lock in new memories and translate this into the process of learning.
Ash has made the painful adjustment to the working week. His workplace, the veterinary university is populated with cows, dogs, horses and the occasional hippopotamus, but most importantly lots and lots of Drosophila. He is currently trying to understand why Drosophila is still undergoing hundreds of cases of intron gain every million years, something that humans gave up on several hundred million years ago. Introns only comprise about 33% of the total human genome, so it would seem rather sensible to think about their origin.
A few highlights of the last 6 months would include * hiking the Swiss Alps with Andrew and not being hit by lightning * getting our heads around some serious art & culture in Vienna * hot days swimming in the Danube * falling in love with our little apartment * the hot baths of Budapest * the very high quality of science going on in Vienna * the very high quality of beer going into us *
We think often of distant friends and pang for Melbourne. Please keep in touch.
Jacki has taken to her PhD research like a duck on the Danube. She is exploring any possible role that micro-RNA molecules might be playing in the consolidation of memories in neurons of the brain. Her model system, mouse adult hyppocampal neurons, are practically well suited to study the adaptive changes that allow the brain to develop and lock in new memories and translate this into the process of learning.
Ash has made the painful adjustment to the working week. His workplace, the veterinary university is populated with cows, dogs, horses and the occasional hippopotamus, but most importantly lots and lots of Drosophila. He is currently trying to understand why Drosophila is still undergoing hundreds of cases of intron gain every million years, something that humans gave up on several hundred million years ago. Introns only comprise about 33% of the total human genome, so it would seem rather sensible to think about their origin.
A few highlights of the last 6 months would include * hiking the Swiss Alps with Andrew and not being hit by lightning * getting our heads around some serious art & culture in Vienna * hot days swimming in the Danube * falling in love with our little apartment * the hot baths of Budapest * the very high quality of science going on in Vienna * the very high quality of beer going into us *
We think often of distant friends and pang for Melbourne. Please keep in touch.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
New Baby
A very happy congratulations to Martin & Lisi and there new daughter Sophie, who was born monday the 18th of August. Martin, hurry up and come back to the office so I dont have to push your flies.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Happiness built on sadness
Jacki & I had some unusual luck in finding our apartment in Vienna; wonderful location, friendly neighbors, large and comfortable. We hope it will be our home for years to come.
Gregor, our close friend and landlord, brings to our attention that our current situation comes with a sad legacy. Our apartment was once the home of Charlotte Kerpen. On the date of her 88th birthday, june 28th 1942, she was deported from her apartment, our apartment, Jägerstraße 16/4 into Theresienstadt, a concentration camp in what is now the Czech Republic. She was killed 11 days later on july 9th 1942.
I think of my own grandmother who lives in the warmth and security of her family. I reflect on the horror that Charlotte Kerpen experienced in the last days of her life. A small note to her can be found here. We cannot return our little apartment to Charlotte, but it will always be hers.
The following footnote cannot adequately describe the horror of Charlotte's 88th birthday…
The Theresienstadt "camp-ghetto" existed for three and a half years, between November 24, 1941 and May 9, 1945. It was used to hold German, Austrian, and Czech Jews of a particular age, or with disability, and those with a domestic celebrity in the arts or other cultural life.
It was expected that that poor conditions there would hasten the deaths of many deportees, until the SS and police could deport the survivors to killing centers in the East
Of the approximately 140,000 Jews transferred to Theresienstadt, nearly 90,000 were deported to points further east and almost certain death. Roughly 33,000 died in Theresienstadt itself.
Fifteen thousand children passed through Theresienstadt. Although forbidden to do so, they attended school. They painted pictures, wrote poetry, and otherwise tried to maintain a vestige of normalcy. Approximately 90 percent of these children perished in death camps.
Gregor, our close friend and landlord, brings to our attention that our current situation comes with a sad legacy. Our apartment was once the home of Charlotte Kerpen. On the date of her 88th birthday, june 28th 1942, she was deported from her apartment, our apartment, Jägerstraße 16/4 into Theresienstadt, a concentration camp in what is now the Czech Republic. She was killed 11 days later on july 9th 1942.
I think of my own grandmother who lives in the warmth and security of her family. I reflect on the horror that Charlotte Kerpen experienced in the last days of her life. A small note to her can be found here. We cannot return our little apartment to Charlotte, but it will always be hers.
The following footnote cannot adequately describe the horror of Charlotte's 88th birthday…
The Theresienstadt "camp-ghetto" existed for three and a half years, between November 24, 1941 and May 9, 1945. It was used to hold German, Austrian, and Czech Jews of a particular age, or with disability, and those with a domestic celebrity in the arts or other cultural life.
It was expected that that poor conditions there would hasten the deaths of many deportees, until the SS and police could deport the survivors to killing centers in the East
Of the approximately 140,000 Jews transferred to Theresienstadt, nearly 90,000 were deported to points further east and almost certain death. Roughly 33,000 died in Theresienstadt itself.
Fifteen thousand children passed through Theresienstadt. Although forbidden to do so, they attended school. They painted pictures, wrote poetry, and otherwise tried to maintain a vestige of normalcy. Approximately 90 percent of these children perished in death camps.
Friday, June 20, 2008
hello from the bike
This will only be of interest to those who dress in lycra at 5am in the cold (The sound quality is not so great).