by Peter Nollert
September 9, 2009 22:30
I agree that crystallography can be very frustrating at times and that growing crystals in particular can feel as an exercise in futility. I've observed different coping strategies how researchers release steam when science projects don't work out: catching some cold air in the cool crystallization room, verbal tirades directed against the protein at hand or just blaming 'bad karma'. But destroying your co-worker's experiments?
What was going on with Silvya Oommachen when she signed the post-it notes with smiley faces and "Performed by X black" and when she attached them to the dewars? When she thawed 4,000 - 5,000 crystals, ruining months of work of her fellow researchers? Reversing some of the Bad Karma she was experiencing?
I'm totally baffled.
Peter