Stupid nematodes II: a resolution

To avoid what would potentially be a nightmarish experience, I decided to autoclave all of my fly stocks. It is ok though, I have formulated a plan B. I will just change my model fly species and use a population stock that is already existing in another lab, one that has no diseases. The Blows lab in our biology school was kind enough to help me out of this awkward situation, probably out of sheer pity, nonetheless thanks so much guys! I guess now I have no excuse not to write up my papers (which I greatly despise doing), now that I have no need to maintain any stocks until I return from the Evolution conference in Ottawa in mid-July. Still, what a drama.

On a happier note, YAY for the transit of Venus eclipsing the sun, which happened between 0800 and 1500 today. Won't see anything like that again for a while. The University of Queensland astrophysicists had set up 4 telescopes for people to line up and view Venus eclipsing the sun, which was a real treat to peer through because you could see all the sunspots as well. There were also some special glasses being passed around that could be worn to look directly at the sun and view the eclipse, though everyone, including myself, using them had a nasty habit of looking to where the sun was and blinding themselves before putting the glasses on. Sometimes the obvious just isn't. Perhaps a warning should have been attached to the glasses "WARNING: Do not stare directly at the sun until after the glasses are placed in front of your eyes". And that's why they give me a scholarship to do a PhD.

Transit of Venus, 6/06/2012