Monday, February 23, 2009

What is a cryostat?

He's blond, tall, does weird eyebrow movements, make funny faces/sounds, crazy, currently on his laptop, stalk me from time time, and moves his head to his music. These are the ingredients required to make the perfect roommate.

Yes.
He helps me make thin sections of cricket ganglia. Which is uber cool. Uber.

His name is Zach. And he is from Massachusetts.

So I have to be careful, because he holds a very sharp blade. The ganglia is frozen onto a circular disk that attaches to a cylindrical knob. Turning the wheel on his side causes the cylindrical knob to advance forward 18 microns per revolution. Yes, it's a slow process.

He is currently staring into his laptop and bobbing his head up and down. I'm assuming that he's listening to music. Oh wait, I can see the facebook screen on his laptop...not that I'm looking at him or anything. Nor am I sitting right next to him...I wondering who he's stalking...

He's pretty white. A white, rectangular machine about two-thirds my height. The small chamber inside is kept cold - 25 degrees to be exact. Every liquid must stay frozen.

Did I mention that he's silly? He does goofy things to make me laugh. God bless him.

The ganglia he cuts originated from adult crickets. It is frozen in a little container with a slimy liquid. Yes, the frozen liquid is sliced along with the ganglia. So he's always covered with ice shavings.

"Does it work?" said Dan.
"Don't think so...it's failing," said Zach while singing.

He's cool. Get it? HA!
Oh him and his 25 degree attitude.

A cryostat.
My roommate.

~Dan

P.S. Don't be confused. I'm describing two separate entities here. :)

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