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Spring 2007, Vol. 3, No. 2 | Index
MBL on the "Tube"
- The Bioelectric Field Imager, an exciting new medical device whose development originated in the BioCurrents Research Center (BRC), was featured in The History Channel’s show “Star Trek Tech,” which premiered on February 18. The show looked at the technology behind the futuristic gizmos and gadgets used in the Star Trek series such as phasers, communicators, and the Holodeck. BRC Director Peter Smith has filed a joint application to patent the Bioelectric Field Imager, in collaboration with Richard Nuccitelli of Old Dominion University. Their hypothesis is that the electric fields detected by this device are an early diagnostic of skin disease and that altering these fields may be play a future role in healing.
- The cuttlefish research of MBL Senior Scientist Roger Hanlon was among the work featured in a WGBH NOVA special titled “Kings of Camouflage” which premiered on April 3. “Kings of Camouflage” captures this master of disguise as it evades predators, hypnotizes prey, and intimidates mating rivals. Learn more about “Kings of Camouflage” and watch video clips online at NOVA’s companion website, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/camo
- On May 8, the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric broadcast a story on the recently launched Encyclopedia of Life, an unprecedented global effort to document all 1.8 million named species of animals, plants, and other forms of life on Earth. The MBL is a key player in the project, along with such renowned scientific institutions as The Field Museum of Natural History, Harvard University, Smithsonian Institution, and Biodiversity Heritage Library. MBL Director and CEO Gary Borisy is chair of the EOL Distinguished Advisory Board and a member of its Steering Committee and the MBL’s Biodiversity Informatics Group, including Sarah Bordenstein, Andrew Grimm, Patrick Leary, Paddy Patterson, and Neil Sarkar, are playing a major role in the software and infrastructure development that will seamlessly aggregate data from thousands of websites into species pages in the Encyclopedia of Life. On May 12, Paddy Patterson was featured on an ABC News technology segment describing the effort.
The Collecting Net is an employee newsletter published by the Communications Office. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Call (508) 289-7423 or e-mail us at
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