Optical imaging labels can report on the molecular workings of tissues and cells in the body. Fluorescent protein tags that emit visible or infrared light are now common tools for studying cell biology in test tubes. But getting such light in and out of the body is difficult because light diffuses as it passes through biological tissues. Living lasers, if they’re made into practical systems, have the potential to change that. One can imagine having a hybrid living-nonliving medical implant under the skin that would beam out a stream of information about biomarkers in the blood, for example.
Thoughts on the useful idiots in the media and (more importantly and unfortunately) in the voting booths who really believed that electing a socialist law professor with zero business experience would actually result in an improved economy. He needs to get the return key repaired on his keyboard, though.
I’ve commented in the past that I’m much more selective about whom I friend on Facebook than a lot of people seem to be. I will never respond to a friend request from someone who I don’t know, in the sense of having met them either on line or in meatspace, with the exception of those who actually introduce themselves and explain why they want me to friend them. This is just one reason why.
