Museum Blog

Articles for author Nicole Garneau: 66

PCR: Extraction, Amplify, Repeat

Posted 03/11/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
Now that you're educated on how we get DNA out of cheek cells we collect from visitor samples (Don't know? Find out here), I'm going to tell you about a process called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This technique is how scientists make lots… in fact trillions of copies of DNA from the smal…
Read More
Categories:
Tags:
Creation of My Alter Ego Yo Pearl

Posted 03/02/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
It was a typical day at the Museum. the sun was shining and the birds were chirping. I was walking through the offices of our awesome educators when I was introduced to Pearl. Pearl, at age 10 was full of enthusiasm. After only about 35 seconds it was clear to me that Pearl loved science. So…
Read More
Categories:
Tags:
Blue Tongue Blog Migration

Posted 02/22/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
For those of you keeping track, you'll notice that we have research update posts that occur all on the same day. This is because we are in the process of mass migrating the many posts from our original "Blue Tongue Blog". The posting date cannot be changed to the orignal blog post date, thus, …
Read More
Categories:
Tags:
Uniquely Blue, Uniquely You

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
Welcome to a world where very small changes in a persons' DNA can have a huge impact on how they perceive taste. This blog aims to explore this and other findings from the live research study, Genetics of Taste: A Flavor for Health, happening right now in the permanent exhibit Expedition He…
Read More
Categories:
- Health Sciences
Tags:
- Genetics
Hot Bisque

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
Well I did it-the thing we ask visitors daily if they did as a way to screen their taste data. Did you burn your tongue recently? Yesterday the Museum catering team made incredible (and incredibly hot) tomato bisque. In a rush, I plunged in my spoon and slurped -- ouch. You w…
Read More
Categories:
- Health Sciences
Tags:
- Tongue
Spreading Blue Tongue Love!

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
This post comes directly from the field! Meghan Sloan (see picture above), one of our fantastic staff members from the science laboratory in Expedition Health writes: In late January I visited Mrs. Waage's class at McLain Community High School to talk about the coolest job I've ever had: A…
Read More
Categories:
Tags:
The Salty Story of a Sweet Theory Gone Sour

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
In our Genetics of Taste lab, we study Tas2r38 (allows us to taste certain bitter substances), only ONE of the MANY genes that allow us to perceive taste, but just because here at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science we only study bitter doesn't mean we don't love each of the other taste…
Read More
Categories:
- Health Sciences
Tags:
- Genetics
Science Bites: For When You're Craving a Snack

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
A picture's worth a 1000 words... enter Science Bites. A great way to keep up to date on pop-sci culture, research studies at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and Denver's hometown science curators.
Read More
Categories:
- Health Sciences
Tags:
- Genetics
AChemS Annual Science Conference, Day 1: Tasting and Smelling Solo

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
Is it any coincidence that the last time I was at a science conference it was in Melbourne (Australian Society for Microbiology) , and today, after landing in Tampa Bay and hitching a ride to the hotel via Super Shuttle, the lyrics "I come from a land down under…" started beating from the spea…
Read More
Categories:
Tags:
AChemS Annual Science Conference, Day 2: My Lucky (Poster) Day

Posted 02/08/2011 by Nicole Garneau | Comments
Scientists communicate in many ways, some which are far more entertaining then others. Take for example publishing- a way to disseminate information in a peer-reviewed journal. A clearinghouse for these publications is run by the government and is called pubmed. While priceless, publ…
Read More
Categories:
Tags: