Molecular Biology - Made Simple and Fun

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

That is the title of the book for the class I just started tonight.

On it’s cover, there is a photo of a chimpanzee in a sweater playing with a model of DNA and wooden blocks with Cs, Gs, Ts, and As.

Many cartoons in the book:

A cow saying, “Moo!”; another cow being injected with rBST saying, “Mooore!”

Two molecules (one positive, one negative) one saying, “You just want to get into my genes!”; the other, “I love you for your nucleus! Trust me!”

A b-cell with Clint Eastwood’s face asking a germ if he feels lucky.

I really enjoy getting back to school, but yikes, has it changed!

#2

Oh for Christ’s sake, I just noticed thae back cover.

A toddler teaching the aforementioned chimp…

"Roses are red, violets are blue, A, C, T, & G and RNA needs “U” "

I think I may be too old for this.

#3

You know Sue?
This is like a lesson I should remember!

No matter how funny or enjoyable a post is, if you name your thread Molecular Biology in MPSIMS it will just pass unnoticed!!!

:slight_smile: :slight_smile:
The newbie is learning!!

#4

I don’t know about that.

This is my first post to the SDMB, and I went to the
thread with “Molecular Biology” in its title first.

I guess it depends upon how big a geek you are, really.

I’m a Riot Nrrrrrd, and I’m proud!

–Scribble

#5

Sue, my little hamantashan, disregard Pity’s comment. Anything you post is more than noticed by me.

As far as the comicbook/molecular bio for dummies thing…

[former teacher cynicism]
College level texts have to be written in a “fun” way so that students, who come to college without requisite skills, will pay attention long enough to learn something. (Kinda like that toothpaste commercial where the mom say something like, “They like the taste so they may be brushing longer.”) Of course they didn’t learn the prerequisite skills in high school because middle school is just a social holding pattern for kids. And with the state of elementary schools in the country, it’s no wonder reading skills are abyssimal. It all goes back to bad parenting.
[/former teacher cynicism]

Alas, it is a bit presumptuous of publishers to think that no adults will use the book, and it may even be a bit embarassing to carry that thing around. Just try to be real smug when you are sitting in class with the little children, knowing that they need this fluff and you don’t.

There’s nothing like a little arrogance to make you feel superior. :smiley:

#6

The book I’m using in my Molecular class is called Genomes. The science is pretty straight forward, while tying it in to the Human Genome Project. The best part about the book is that it is paperback. It cuts down on the cost to me and allows the science department to continually update the books to stay current within the field.

I don’t know if I could handle the cartoon book. I would find it easier to read and understand but I don’t know if it would be in depth enough. The tests aren’t going to be cartoon characters asking you to finish the rhyme.

#7

I can second this notion. One of the university classes I taught was marine biology. Or, more specifically, “biology of the sea” as it was geared toward non-science majors. HOWEVER, the class was used to help satisfy the science requirement for liberal arts type majors.

Anyway, you should have heard the students complain! “I don’t want to learn about plankton!” “I don’t care about ocean circulation or stratification!” “Coral is boring!” Wah, wah, wah. All they wanted to do, I think, was watch videos of frolicking dolphins and breaching whales. Oh, yeah. Dolphins and whales were real popular among that crowd. The fact that they were challenged to learn a litle actual science was anathema to them.

Anyway, back to the OP. I think I could of used a book like that! Sure, cartoons and such may be a little juvenile, but hey, if it gets the correct information across, what the heck. Molecular biology was never my strong suit (just ask most ecology types–you’ll find a lot of us decided learning about whole organisms, ecosystems, and species’ interactions was a better route to go than looking through a microscope and tending bacterial cultures all day. Not to mention the field work–fun!)

#8

Yeah, this one is also.

It generally looks like a pretty good book, but it’s just weird to see a biology book with cartoons (even if they ARE appropriate to the text).

Thanks for the input spritle, I’ll work on keeping my nose in the air!

#9

Happy to help.

Uh, Sue,

[sub]Watch out for boogs![/sub]

#10

At least it’s not “Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple”…a text in our bookstore (for second year podiatric students). OH! Never mind, they’re podiatric students!

#11

Oh. My. Hell.

I’m sorry, but this makes me ill. Fine, make it fun. I don’t even have a problem with cartoons per se, but these are just plain horrid! If you’re going to try and be funny, please don’t fail and then publish anyway. Ouch.

What’s next, “Scooby Doo learns nuclear physics”?

“Roh no, Shaggy! Re rhave a reltdown!!”
“Zoinks!”