the bird on fire

The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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Long forgotten the beauty of the world

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Our international correspondent Quintus sends us aesthetic poetic images from Shanghai.

By Quintus Ni

Long forgotten the beauty of the world
A piece of emerald falling into the lake
The trembling lake was at a loss
On this rainy afternoon


You come, it stops
It’s green and there’s a little commotion
Feeling of summer, enjoying the cool in this emerald park
Raindrops falling into the lake, children playing with umbrellas in their hands


Clouds cover the green and astringent mountains in the distance
Making coffee, egrets beat the dusk sky
I can’t remember how many fish there are in the lake
How beautiful are the flowers in the four seasons? How fragrant are the water lilies
under the bridge.


Your neck is still a touch of verdant, is indifferent emerald, I skimmed the light and
shadow of the wall, quietly disappeared, no longer sorry. When the moonlight slowly
spread out the palm, the darkness is still so warm, the night is so soft.


If one day can remember, true still, can learn from the sun and the moon, just walk on
the street, is empty, do not look back on the past, also do not stay in the heart. Only a
curtain of bleak wind, and cover the heart of the slender hands.

Aesthetic Editor: Elizabeth Shay

Future Festivities: Summer in Japan

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Elizabeth had planned a trip to Japan last summer. Covid cancelled her trip. So, here, virtually, she lives out her dream journey. Here’s Elizabeth’s “What I Would Do If I Could Get to Japan.”

By Elizabeth Shay

One of the top destinations on my travel bucket list is the beautiful East Asian country of Japan. My dad moved to Japan from Taiwan at the age of five and lived there for eleven years. I have always had an interest in Japanese culture, especially the food, and my family had planned a trip for this past summer. Needless to say, the trip never happened, but my research is proving useful for this article! Here are some of the things to look forward to when visiting Japan in the summer.

Matsuri

Traditionally, matsuri are ceremonies in which the Japanese people pray to deities and honor their ancestors. Today, the word matsuri refers to the popular festivals held all over the country. Natsu matsuri is the name for the social events that take place during the summer (Japan Experience).  Most natsu matsuri include three main elements: processions, fireworks, and street food. People can be seen wearing yukata (traditional kimonos made of lightweight cotton), perfect for the summer heat and humidity. 

Here are some of the most popular masturi:

  • Mitama Matsuri– This festival is four days long, from July 12 to 15. Held at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, this event is marked by the lighting of twenty thousand lanterns (Japan Rail Pass).

  • Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival– The Sumidagawa is the oldest fireworks festival in the world, beginning in 1732. Attracting one million attendees annually, it celebrates hanabi (which means Japanese fireworks). The festival is based in Tokyo on the banks of the Sumida River and takes place on the last Saturday in July (Japan Rail Pass).

  • Sendai Tanabata Matsuri-– Tanabata, the “feast of the stars,” follows the Chinese lunar calendar and is held on August 7. The highlight of this festival is the giant sasatake decorations. The thousands of colorful streamers, each around four meters long, decorate the town center. Resembling bright forests, they are crafted by local shops, children, and members of the community (Japan Experience).

  • Gion Matsuri– Dating back to the ninth century, Gion Matsuri encompasses the entire month of July, with the most popular events occurring from the 14th to the 17th. It is famous for its floats, each representing a distinct neighborhood or corporation of Kyoto. The wheels that mobilize the floats are often as tall as a person, and traditional neighborhoods are decorated with flowers, banners, flags, and lanterns (Japan Rail Pass).

Food

Street food is not as typical in Japan as in many other countries in Asia. However, during matsuri, food stalls called yatai line the streets (Japan Rail Pass). Fried foods and foods on sticks are widely sold. The most common dishes include:

  • Tako-yaki (octopus dumplings)
  • Kara-age (fried chicken)
  • Yaki-soba (fried noodles)
  • Yaki-tori (grilled chicken skewers)
  • Okonomiyaki (fried savory “pancakes”)
  • Ika-yaki (grilled squid on skewers)

Popular desserts are kakigori (ice crushed with syrup), taiyaki (fish-shaped pancakes often filled with cream or red bean) and ringoame (Japanese version of a candy apple).


Other Activities

In addition to the traditional matsuri, Japan has several summer music festivals. The Fuji Rock Festival and Summer Sonic both occur in August. If festivals are not your cup of tea, you can head north to escape the heat and humidity. You can hike the milder climate of the Hokkaido region of Japan, visit the national parks, or even climb Mt. Fuji! (Lonely Planet)


Sources Referenced:

https://www.japan-experience.com/to-know/understanding-japan/the-matsuri-japanese-festivals

https://www.japan-experience.com/to-know/understanding-japan/summer-festivals-in-japan

https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/summer-festivals-japan

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-things-to-do-in-summer-in-japan

Festivities (in a post-Coronavirus time) Editor: Hannah Hall

The Beauty of Dance Festivals

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While there’s light at the end of our Coronavirus tunnel, we are still under stay-at-home orders here in Riverside County. Editor Hannah heartily misses gatherings and festivals. She asks, “If you could get out and gather, what would be your festivity of choice?” What will our festivities look like in a post-Coronavirus time? Blogger Sara dreams of dance festivals.

By Sara Habibipour

Something that all performance artists have missed through these COVID times is not being able to perform on a stage. As artists, we come up with creative ways to continue sharing our gifts with the world, but there’s something about the adrenaline rush you get in the wings, the warmth of the lights, and the dressing room hustle that we can’t live without. 

Palm Springs Dance Festival

A gathering that I will be excited to take part in once COVID-times are over is the Palm Springs Dance Festival. The last time I performed in a theater was during this festival, and it was memorable. Our studio had the opportunity to perform a couple pieces alongside other dance studios and even professionals from LA companies. I look forward to this festival because it allows a space for young dancers from all different schools to come together, share their talents, and watch dancers from other studios perform–which we don’t often do. We also had the opportunity to watch these professionals perform in their own showcase. I was fascinated that their energy was able to touch me even though I was sitting all the way in the back row of the theater.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

I would also like to travel and visit more dance festivals, for example, the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Known as the “hub and mecca of dancing,” the Pillow is the longest running international dance festival. It’s held on a 220-acre farm in the middle of the Western Massachusetts woods, and as you can see in the image below, the view is quite stunning. I can’t even begin to imagine how powerful it must feel to be dancing in the woods. 

What I love most about these festivals is that you don’t just get your classical ballet variations that we’ve all seen and performed five hundred times. There’s so much new and contemporary choreography and music you’ve never seen and heard before. There are so many innovative props and costumes. It’s art in its truest form. It has you leaving the theater like, “I want to watch that again! What was that music?! I want to learn that dance!”

Hopefully when Corona-times are over, I’ll be able to participate in and watch more dance festivals. Luckily, there’s plenty of virtual events to keep me satisfied for now.

Festivities (in-a-post-Coronavirus-time) Editor: Hannah Hall

Will The Simpsons Get it Right?

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We all know the classic TV show The Simpsons. But did you know that The Simpsons can predict the future? Blogger Evan looks back on this show to see what’s coming in 2021. “D’oh!” 

By Evan Spry

As 2020 came to an end, many of us found ourselves rushing as fast as possible to leave the year that none of us will forget. We all felt like somehow, just because the year would no longer be “2020,” that we would get a clean slate to start working on and we wouldn’t have to worry about the problems we faced so recently. The level of haste in the transition to the new year caused most of us to skip over necessary precautions that would prepare us for the future. One of these extremely important precautions that we must take before entering the new year is checking the forever-wise and accurate animated oracle, The Simpsons. Over the years, fans of the legendary animated series have spotted clues/hints in certain episodes that uncannily predict the future. This year was no exception. 

Inauguration Day 2021

As recently as last year, The Simpsons made some pretty bold predictions about the beginning of 2021 that would remind any American about the current situation we’re in. Popbuzz.com describes, “In The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXXI, it’s US election day in 2020 and Homer sleeps right through it. We’re then shown Inauguration Day, 20 January 2021, and full-on chaos has ensured[sp]. The series depicts a Doomsday apocalypse in which the US has turned to war.” Now, fortunately, none of these things have actually happened, but many similarities ring true. It’s pretty interesting seeing an episode from a year ago predict that we would be in some sort of political crisis that would lead to chaos and war by Inauguration Day, 2021. A year ago obviously doesn’t sound like that long ago, but we both know that it feels like it’s been half-a-decade since then. Below is a picture from last year’s Simpsons episode. 

Animated Insurrection

Unsurprisingly, this is not the only instance of a prediction relating to our current situation. In The Simpsons’s 1996 episode, I’m an Amendment To Be, Bart and Lisa watch an episode which appears to be a parody of SchoolHouse Rock. Instead of a bill, the protagonist is a singing amendment that is trying to make it illegal to burn the American flag. If the amendment passes, “police can beat them [flag burners]” (The Simpsons). By the end of the amendment’s song, a politician opens the door to the Capitol Building for the amendment character, and the amendment yells out, “Door’s open boys!” This was followed by a crowd of gun-toting and bomb-throwing yokels in amendment/paper form storming up the Capitol steps. Even though the scene isn’t 100 percent parallel to what is happening today, it is still crazy to see these images, which were made in 1996. 

As we all start to heal from the countless hardships 2020 threw at us and then the embarrassment that happened on the 6th of this year, we should look back at The Simpsons and try our hardest to take after them. Because, even though they may fight, argue, and even hate each other at some points, they always come back together in love because . . . they’re a family. 

https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/news/simpsons-predictions-2021/

2021 Predictions Editor: Sara Habibipour

Predictions to Start Off the Year on a High Note:

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The Return of the Dinosaurs and Self-Tying Shoes?!

When Sara asked the Blog staff what they predict will happen in 2021, Erik Bearman chose to talk about ideas in science-fiction media that may soon become reality. 

By Erik Bearman 

The story of the big bad Jurassic Park logosaurus - Graphéine
Bringing Back The Dinosaurs

A lot of us probably went through a dinosaur phase when we were younger. We dreamed about what it would be like to see them walk the Earth once again. Entire books and film franchises have explored this idea. But what if I told you that within the next decade you can have your own pet dinosaur?

Why we're creating a 'chickenosaurus' - CNN.com

Let’s be clear on one thing: I am NOT saying that you can have a pet triceratops. I am talking about owning a chicken that has been genetically altered to display dinosaur-like traits. Let me explain:

There are two kinds of dinosaurs: avian and non-avian. Non-avian dinosaurs are the ones that went extinct 66 million years ago. But the avian dinosaurs are still alive and are what you might call “birds.” As unassuming as your average chicken is, they are the closest living relative to the T-Rex. And, they still contain the genes that gave them their dinosaur-like traits millions of years ago. Paleontologists theorize that with modern gene-editing technology, we could reactivate those dormant genes and create a “Chickenosaurus.”  And, we’ve already had some moderate success: in 2015, researchers managed to reverse-engineer a chicken snout to make it resemble the snout of a non-avian dinosaur. Researcher Jack Horner even claimed, “From a quantitative point of view, we’re 50 percent there” (livescience.com).

Back to the Future Part II” Makes No Sense – Mother Jones
Nike Raffles 'Back to the Future' Self-Tying Shoes
Velcro Is Outdated!

Back to the Future II got a lot of things wrong about 2015. We may not have self-drying jackets, but we do have self-lacing shoes! Earlier this month, Nike launched the Air Jordans 11. These Jordans allow its wearers to “control the laces via Bluetooth using a Nike app that lets them customize the fit of the sneakers” (businessinsider.com). According to the Jordan Brand, these sneakers will be “the most personalized Jumpman shoes to date.”  Right now, these Air Jordans sell at $185 (sneakernews.com). But, I predict that self-lacing shoes will become cheaper as they become more commonplace. 

Re-watching 'Gattaca' now that we have CRISPR - Business Insider
“We are in the midst of a genetic revolution”–Unnatural Selection

Movies like Gattaca have depicted a dismal future that oppresses people and condemns them to a life of simple servitude due to their genetic structure. In Gattaca, genetically superior people–who were usually gifted because their parents had gone to a geneticist before their child’s birth–were always given prestigious opportunities in life including space travel. Meanwhile, genetically inferior people, called “in-valids” wouldn’t see the inside of a spaceship unless they were cleaning it. What makes such discrimination so concerning is that it isn’t based on ignorance or religion; it’s based off of actual science. This future isn’t too far off either.

From bioterror to bioerror: Who's afraid of biohacking? | Genetic Literacy Project

Unless you’re pursuing a career in genetics, you likely haven’t heard the name Josiah Zayner before. Josiah Zayner is the creator of The ODIN. The ODIN is a project dedicated to “Making Science and Genetic Engineering Accessible and Affordable” (www.the-odin.com). Using CRISPR technology, Zayner has created a tool so you can modify your own DNA at home with a complete set of instructions on how to do so! But, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of modifying your own DNA, there are other alternatives you can do with the kits. A couple things you can do is modify bacteria to glow in the dark or make frogs grow bigger muscles. There are even online classes that you can do at your own pace. 

Now if you’re still concerned about one day being an “in-valid,” you don’t have to worry. Zayner’s goal is making these kits accessible to everybody–not just the upper class. So you’ll have the power to change yourself if you want to.

Sources

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-21/30-things-back-to-the-future-ii-got-right-or-wrong-about-october-21-2015

https://www.livescience.com/50801-chicken-with-dinosaur-snout-images.html

https://www.livescience.com/50886-scientific-progress-dino-chicken.html

Jurassic Park

Back To The Future II

Gattaca

www.the-odin.com

Unnatural Selection (Netflix documentary)

2021 Predictions Editor: Sara Habibipour

2021 Prophéties

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2021. It’s finally here. Although off to an unusual start, Editor Sara wanted to ask the Bloggers what they predict for the rest of the year (for better or for worse). Blogger Elizabeth decided to look toward the Great Nostradamus for 2021 predictions.

By Elizabeth Shay

Nostradamus was a French physician and astrologer who is best known for his prophecies. These prophecies are expressed in verses called quatrains, and are outlined in his book, Les Prophéties, published in 1555. Nostradamus has written 6,338 prophecies, over 70% of which have supposedly been fulfilled (yearly-horoscope.org); some of his accurate predictions seem to include the French Revolution, Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, and even the 9/11 attacks–yikes! His prophecies cover the years until 3797, when he believes that the world is slated to end (history.com). 

Here are three of Nostradamus’s dreadful and saddeningly dark predictions for 2021, which hopefully do not come true:

  1. A Famine of Biblical Proportions (yearly-horoscope.org) 

According to Nostradamus, we can expect a massive famine in 2021, which is one of the signs of the end of the world in addition to earthquakes and plagues. The prophecy reads:

“After great trouble for humanity, a greater one is prepared,

The Great Mover renews the ages:

Rain, blood, milk, famine, steel and plague,

Is the heavens fire seen, a long spark running”

Nostradamus

To be fair, a great catastrophe is prophesied by Nostradamus to occur pretty much every single year, so it doesn’t hold much weight.

  1. A Devastating Earthquake Will Destroy California (yearly-horoscope.org)

In yet another tragedy that Nostradamus has visualized for the upcoming year, a great earthquake is set to hit “the Lands of the West,” which people assume to mean California. The actual prediction reads as follows:

“The sloping park, great calamity,

Through the Lands of the West and Lombardy [Italy]

The fire in the ship, plague, and captivity;

Mercury in Sagittarius, Saturn fading”

Nostradamus

According to astrologers, the dates when the planets mentioned will be in the described position in the sky is November 25, 2021.

Once again, this shouldn’t cause alarm because Nostradamus has made this prediction in 1988. And in 2015. And in 2020.

  1. A War Between Two Allied Countries (wisehoroscope.org)

Finally, Nostradamus describes a war between two allied countries in the near future, which will lead to the third world war. The quatrain states:

“In the city of God there will be a great thunder

Two brothers torn apart by Chaos while the fortress endures

The great leader will succumb

The third big war will begin when the big city is burning”

Nostradamus

This is definitely not encouraging to see, but based on this prophet’s track record, I don’t think that there is grounds for panic.

2020 has been a rough year to say the least, and these predictions definitely do not inspire much confidence for the new year. Fortunately, there is little proof for the validity of these predictions. Any seemingly accurate prophecies are likely a result of coincidences. 

What are some of your predictions for 2021? Hopefully they are more positive than these!

Sources:

https://www.yearly-horoscope.org/nostradamus-2021-predictions/

https://www.history.com/topics/paranormal/nostradamus

https://wisehoroscope.org/nostradamus-2021/

2021 Predictions Editor: Sara Habibipour

Top 10 Album Covers

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For this next “Aesthetic” post, Blogger Jake Sonderman incorporated his passion for music and compiled a list of his 10 favorite album covers.

By Jake Sonderman

This is a list of my top 10 album covers of all time. I did not take into account the album’s popularity or musical content, only how much I like to look at the cover art. 

10. Iron Maiden – Piece of Mind

Piece of Mind - Wikipedia

Iron Maiden is the only major band that comes to my mind that has a character on every single album cover. Steve Harris, the bassist and founding member, says the character comes from a mask they used to call “the head,” and they’re British so it was like, “the ed,” and they started calling the mask Eddie. There is even a video game built around Eddie. 

9. The Who – Who’s next

Who's Next - The Who

A monolith and destruction for miles. This apocalyptic cover is simple. If you look closely, the guys are zipping up their shorts, and there are stains on the monolith. I’m not sure exactly what the message is, but man that is a cool cover. 

8.  Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill

Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill (1986, Vinyl) | Discogs
Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill Lyrics and Tracklist | Genius

Of course, when you first look at this album you only see the front side. This is a clean and pristine lookin’ tail of a plane, pretty cool on its own. Then you flip it over to the plane crashing on the back side. The front is cool, but the connection to the surprising, chaotic back makes this a top 10. 

7. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication

Californication (album) - Wikipedia

This album cover takes a bit of unpacking. For a while I thought the pool was lava because I never gave it more than a glance. The pool is really the sky during a sunset, and the sky is more obviously the water. The message is simply how backwards life in California is. 

6. Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy

Creating Art from Failure: The 'Houses of the Holy' Album Cover | by David Deal | Festival Peak

Despite what many say, this is not a bunch of kids in blonde wigs. This mysterious album cover meant to mimic Arthur C. Clarke’s novel Childhood’s End was photographed multiple times with two blonde children, at sunrise and sunset. Truly genius.

5. Janelle Monáe: Dirty Computer

On 'Dirty Computer,' Janelle Monáe Reveals Herself, Sort Of | The ARTery

I couldn’t find a ton of backstory on this art, but I really like it. The color scheme is intoxicating, and every little detail pops out. It’s almost like when I look at it I have to back up and open my eyes more to really take it in. 

4. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (180 Gram Vinyl) - Amazon.com Music

This is arguably the most iconic album cover of all time, but that’s not why I chose it. For a long time people speculated where this album art, seen on millions of t-shirts, came from (before the internet). Bernard Sumner from Joy Division found this image in the Manchester Central Library. He was searching for inspiration, and found this image in the The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Astronomy. It was the “stacked plots” of the radio emissions of a rotating neutron star. 

3. Pink Floyd – Ummagumma

Ummagumma by Pink Floyd – top psychedelic album No. 22

This album was designed by popular English design company, Hipgnosis. They’ve designed album covers for more famous rock bands than any other design company, and this is my favorite art that they’ve done. The more I look at this cover the more I discover. If you look closely, in each “picture inside a picture” the bandmates have switched positions. This might be because the album is a combination of songs written by the individual band members. 

2. Motley Crue – Too Fast For Love

Motley Crue - Too Fast For Love - Amazon.com Music

In case you didn’t already figure it out, this is a very clever copy of the Rolling Stones’s album cover art for Sticky Fingers. This is truly the album cover for all of 80s rock: all leather, studs, and spikes. 

1. The Clash – London Calling 

The Clash - London Calling (1979, Vinyl) | Discogs

I’m not sure anybody but Evan would agree with me on this one, but this is truly a masterful album cover. So much so that people know this album cover better than the album cover it is imitating. This is a play on Elvis Presley’s name album from 1956, but instead of playing his guitar like Elvis’s cover, Paul Simonon is smashing his bass. Truly Punk. 

Aesthetics Editor: Elizabeth Shay

Celtic Costume or Soldier’s Skirt?

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Blogger Evan Spry has explored his culture in several articles. With his newest post, he dives into a traditional Scottish aesthetic, focusing on perhaps the most famous symbol of the culture: the kilt.

By Evan Spry

Since the end of the 16th century, Scots have been embracing and promoting their traditional culture to everyone by brandishing their skirt-like kilts. Very few cultural traditions have been able to infiltrate popular culture like that of the kilt. The Scottish kilt is such a popular symbol of Scottish culture that I guarantee the first thing an average person thinks when they think of Scotland is the famous kilt. But why are these kilts so popular? Well, for one, they’re comfortable because of their ergonomic and breathable design. The other reason is that the second a man puts on a kilt he transforms into a handsome, Gaelic warrior.

This popular traditional aesthetic has not changed very much since its debut in the 16th century. In the beginning, kilts were worn as full-length garments by the Gaelic men of the Northern Scottish Highlands. Apparently, “The word ‘kilt’ is a derivation of the ancient Norse word, kjilt, which means pleated, and refers to clothing that is tucked up and around the body” (authenticireland.com). The men’s kilts back then were also a little more risque than the modern version is now, as they usually cut off way before the knee. Nowadays, the majority of kilts you’ll see worn will go below the knee. These kilts were made “using self-colored garments, which were white or dull brown, green or black as opposed to the multicolored plaids or tartan designs recognized today” (authenticireland.com). As more efficient kilt-making techniques were introduced around the 1800s, a new tartan pattern was developed. The tartan cloth was dyed and designed in criss-crossed lines.

The plaid pattern never gets cut off in a traditional kilt.

History of the Kilt

Unfortunately, the power of the kilt grew too strong for the British monarchy. The kilt-wearing Scots launched a rebellion in the Highlands. So the British Parliament imposed the Dress Act of 1746. This act, steered by King George II, made it illegal to wear the beloved Scottish kilt. By the time the Dress Act was repealed in 1782, it was already too late for many kilt-wearing Scots. As decades of harsh enforcement didn’t allow the traditional kilt, many got used to not wearing them at all. However, this was not the end of the kilt. Since King George banned them almost completely on the basis that they represented Scottish culture and allegiance, they became iconic symbols of national pride for the Scots. Soon, this love for kilts gave way to the creation of specific tartan patterns for specific Scottish clans. The image above is the design for my family’s tartan kilt, which represents the Johnston/Johnstone clan. And, since I’m at least one quarter Scottish, I have enough Gaelic blood to wear our family kilt. Although I do not own any Johnston clan kilts, I would love to in the future.

In conclusion, the traditional Scottish aesthetic of kilt-wearing will live on indefinitely as a symbol of national pride. I found it super interesting finding out about the traditional “aesthetic” that my ancestors showed off. I encourage you to find out what your ancestors wore as their “aesthetic” because I’m willing to bet it’s probably pretty weird.  

Source

https://www.authenticireland.com/scottish+kilts/

Aesthetic Editor: Elizabeth Shay

What to Expect in a Laboratory

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Elizabeth tasked the Blog Staff with writing about “Aesthetic.” Erik chose to write about a science aesthetic and what you might find in his future lab.

Workrite Uniform Company: Top 5 Lab Safety Tips - Workplace Material Handling & Safety

The Lab Uniform

Laboratory uniforms may vary depending on what research is being conducted and/or what substances are being handled. But the basics (pre-COVID) are safety goggles, medical gloves, and a white lab coat. All aspects of the uniform are made to protect the wearer as much as possible in case of lab accidents. The safety goggles prevent harmful substances from entering the eyes. Medical gloves help prevent researchers from being contaminated by bacteria (this is especially true for doctors dealing with infected patients). The lab coat itself is made of cotton so it can absorb substances before they reach the skin. 

How and Why to Balance Your Centrifuge | Vetlab Supplies Ltd

The Centrifuge

Centrifuges are used to separate particles from a solution of a sample. Separation varies depending on the sample’s shape, density, size, viscosity, and the centrifuge’s rotor speed. According to labmanager.com, while the sample(s) spin, “gravitational force will cause particles of higher density than the solvent to sink, and those less dense than the solvent to float to the top.”

COVID-19 helped this small syringe business boom. Then came the taxpayer-backed windfall.

The Syringes

One of the more simple tools of lab aesthetics are syringes. The concept of a syringe is very simple; it is a tool that can either withdraw or inject fluid into a body or sample. Syringes are fitted with a plunger that can either withdraw (with upward movement) or inject fluids (with downward movement). Syringes are often single-use because the needles often contain a little bit of the sample they were used on. If a blood sample is infected, and the blood comes in contact with the needle, anyone who sticks that needle in their arm can be infected with numerous blood diseases such as AIDs and HIV.

Borosilicate Griffin Beakers – Cambridge Environmental Products, Inc.

The Beakers

Beakers come in many shapes and sizes and are used to hold and measure various substances. Individually, glass beakers are fairly cheap; you can find them in stores such as Walmart and JCPenny for low prices.

Microscope - Wikipedia

The Microscope

As I’m sure you probably know, microscopes are used to enlarge images of small objects. Standard microscopes are used to analyse organic structures, but the strongest microscopes can be used at the cellular or even molecular level.

A culture plate (1887) | British Society for Immunology

The Petri Dish

Microbiologists are certainly familiar with the petri dish. Petri dishes are primarily used to grow and study cultures of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. Being able to study these microorganisms allows scientists to better understand how they work and how these discoveries can help the world.

Lab Chemicals from Burrell Scientific

The Chemicals

The chemicals found in labs widely vary depending on the type of research being conducted. But, generally, chemicals are used to preserve samples and run tests.

Want to live for ever? Flush out your zombie cells | Ageing | The Guardian

The Test Subject(s)

Last but not least, every scientist’s favorite part of their career: experimenting on innocent creatures! Seriously though, when creating new medical drugs and therapy, scientists must test their work rigorously before their invention moves onto human trials. The best test subjects are ones that are in large abundance and able to reproduce quickly. The subjects must also be very similar to humans. Because of these qualities, mice often make the best test subjects. Mice share 97% of their DNA with humans, reach sexual maturity only two months after they’re born, and are capable of giving birth to as many as 80 offspring per year. Scientists are able to observe the long term effects of a treatment in a short amount of time, and thus make an accurate conclusion of what will happen to humans who take the treatment. 

So, to fit in with your future lab, don your lab coat and grab your beakers.

Sources Referenced:

*www.macbicnj.com › purpose-of-a-beaker 

*Google Images

*My mother who is a supervisor at Labcorp

*www.nationalgeograpic.org 

*Dictionary.com

Aesthetic Editor: Elizabeth Shay

The Academia Aesthetic

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Social media, especially TikTok, has popularized the term “aesthetic” in recent years. There are hundreds of aesthetics, and in her post, Blogger Sara Habibipour addresses one of the most popular ones.

By Sara Habibipour

Perhaps one of the most famous trending aesthetics on TikTok and Instagram is the “Academia” aesthetic, characterized by “…classic literature, the pursuit of self-discovery, and a general passion for knowledge and learning” (Aesthetics.Fandom.Com). 

Some of the key motifs of this aesthetic are books, darkness, history, and old architecture. 

But wait…there’s more. 

There’s actually a never-ending list of sub-academia aesthetics. Anything you can think of, there’s probably an academia aesthetic for it. Theater Academia, Chaotic Academia, Fairy Academia…it all exists. Here’s a list of the most famous, and, in my opinion, the most pleasant-to-look-at academia aesthetics.

Dark Academia

The Dark Academia aesthetic is heavily centered around classic Greek and Gothic architecture. Imagine attending a prep school in Europe, spending late nights in a Gothic-style library while sipping a cup of coffee as you watch the rain pouring down outside; that would be a perfect example of the Dark Academia lifestyle. 

Dark Academia is heavily characterized by its distinct fashion as well, with a color palette mostly consisting of earth tones (browns, dark greens, grays, etc.). As far as the style, it’s very “preppy”; brown cardigans, vintage plaid skirts/pants, and leather satchels are the staples of the Dark Academia look.

 

Not “dark” enough for your taste? Well, there’s actually a subcategory of Dark Academia. And can you guess what it’s called? 

…Darkest Academia

Here’s a photo that pretty much sums up the Darkest Academia aesthetic.

Darkest Academia Aesthetic

Light Academia

For those of you who don’t particularly care for darker colors but still like the Academic style, maybe Light Academia is your aesthetic. 

Characterized by beige, cream, white, and light brown shades, the Light Academia fashion still is “preppy” but definitely distinct from its counterpart, Dark Academia. The architecture preferences are also less Gothic and more classic Greek, and there’s more of an emphasis on the arts and romance. 

Light Academia Aesthetic

Green and Blue Academia 

There are also more color-specific academia aesthetics. 

For example, there’s Green Academia which fosters things like reading books in nature surrounded by greenery and earthy-green colors. There’s Blue Academia which appreciates the beauty of the night sky and royal blue (a Ravenclaw aesthetic, if you will). 

Green Academia Aesthetic
Blue Academia Aesthetic

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Out of all the aesthetics mentioned above, I would have to say that Dark Academia is my personal favorite. What do you think of these aesthetics? Let us know in the comments!

Sources: 

https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Academia

Image Sources: 

https://images.app.goo.gl/Lmk2frB8aZv845tZA

https://images.app.goo.gl/uuSi8MTu3S7sGEeH7

https://images.app.goo.gl/hhMVC5FLBJ6DrzBm7

https://images.app.goo.gl/sPHdKyRyea6Hm3wW9

Aesthetic Editor: Elizabeth Shay