Last year for Earth Day, we each got a tiny pine tree seedling in a plastic tube. Ironically, I think we got more plastic than tree, but that's beside the point.
Two of my coworkers and I each planted our tree in a giant pot, and we decided to grow them in an artificial temperature controlled environment (lab) because we figured the seedlings would never make it out in the wild (Boston). In fact, sometimes I worry that my lab training makes me incapable of making it out in the wild as well. What? Rain? What? It's a temperature different than 68? GASP! Thus they grew on our windowsill with a front row seat to the ever-changing Boston weather, and today they turned 1. Sniff.
Over this past year, we've had some satisfaction in watching the trees grow, but we have also become a little worried...only about my tree, though. Unlike normal pine trees, it decided to curve instead of grow upwards. However, just like any other unconditional-love-giving mother, I still think my tree is just "special" and "unique" and "perfect." I figure instead of a future as a Christmas tree, it's more fit for a Channukah bush, right?
Working in a developmental (neuro) lab with a specialty in genetics, we decided my tree must have a pretty cool mutation. On the days when my project isn't working, I figure I could always map the mutations for curvy pine trees as a side thesis. Problem is, apparently the pine tree has roughly 30 times the genetic material compared to that of the human genome, not to mention that this is just comparing the haploid, in which case pine trees are usually multiploidy. Yeah, we really did check it up, and no, this is not one of the causes of my delayed data. Okay, maybe. I guess it's a bit too expensive to map the whole thing, so the discovery of the Jenny gene will just have to wait. And that my friends, will be the nerdiest thing I will ever post on this blog (well, okay, no promises).
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