On the Microbial Road

Blogging briefly from Chicago. Today's talk at the Field Museum went well--I managed to lure a fair number of people inside from a beautiful spring afternoon to hear me talk about a gut germ. I also had a chance to walk through the fabulous Shedd Aquarium. The Field Museum has an acquarium of its own--filled with 520 million year old creatures. They set up three gigantic screens on which they have a mind-blowing animation of Cambrian animals--slithering, flapping, wiggling, and looking quite alien. I found it mesmerizing. The animators have a movie you can watch online, but if you ever get a chance to see it in person, do so.

Yesterday's talk in Boston was also fun--and it was even blogged! But I must warn you--prepare for a picture of a serious geek.

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Hi Carl,

I'm glad to hear your talk was a hit -- thanks so much for the invitation, and I'm sorry that I couldn't get back to you in time to make it up to the museum. Since you were in my other fair city yesterday, I hope to have another chance to meet you soon!

Helenmary Sheridan

By Helenmary (not verified) on 17 May 2008 #permalink

...prepare for a picture of a serious geek.

Oh common-- Everyone has articles of clothing with microbes printed on them, and plush versions of their favorite pathogen...

... Right?

...... Right???

hehehehehe!

I'm very proud to say that the Science Metropolis blog, which covered your talk in Boston, was developed by Joseph Caputo under my supervision as his Boston University professor. Sorry to have missed the talk myself, I had just returned to Paris for the summer.

Hey Carl,
This is your friend Ian from the days at Walt Disney publishing. Nice blog. I really enjoyed that link to the movie on Cambrian animals. I was always fascinated by the strange shapes and movements of those creatures.

Glad to see you're doing well. Hope to hear from you.

-Ian Berger

Following your talk, my son and I also wandered the museum and stopped to soak in that incredible video. We were only in Chicago for the afternoon, but we both agreed that we could have easily spent all day in the "Evolving Planet" exhibit.

(Oh, I enjoyed your talk, too ;-)

Oh common-- Everyone has articles of clothing with microbes printed on them, and plush versions of their favorite pathogen...

Believe me, my constrained finances are the only reason I don't have an entire roomful of plush pathogens!