Blaze of Brilliance

Author

Professor LabTuna
April 28, 2025

Hi there!

Could a simple lab cleanup spark a fiery tale that rivals a chemistry experiment gone wild to share your own unforgettable lab moment?
Discover a vibrant color-coding strategy for sample labeling that streamlines your workflow with professional precision, and read on for more ingenious tips to ignite your scientific curiosity!

In this issue:

Quote of the Day

❝

Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.

Carl Sagan

Lab Story of the Week

Trash Can Inferno.

In the organometallic research lab, where volatile chemicals and undergrad enthusiasm mix like a risky cocktail, I, a wide-eyed research assistant, was tasked with cleaning out a lab for renovation. Picture me, diligently scrubbing benches, dreaming of Nobel-worthy discoveries, when I spotted a crumbling, ancient container of lithium aluminum hydride (LAH) — a substance so reactive it practically hisses at the sight of water. The container, older than some professors’ grudges, had given up on containing anything. A spill dusted the bench, and without a second thought, I swept it into a nearby trash can. No big deal, right?

Wrong. Earlier that morning, I’d tossed some soggy paper towels into the same trash can after mopping up a coffee spill. LAH and water are like that couple who shouldn’t be left alone together—explosive drama is guaranteed. Not a minute later, I turned around to see the trash can blazing like a backyard barbecue gone rogue. Flames danced, and my heart did a triple somersault. Panicking, I grabbed the nearest fire extinguisher, yanked the pin, and unleashed a foamy blizzard.

The fire? Mostly out. The lab? Now, a snowstorm of smoldering paper towel bits, scattered like confetti at a particularly unhinged party. Each glowing fragment threatened to spark a sequel to my trash can inferno. I froze, extinguisher in hand, imagining the sprinkler system kicking on, flooding the lab, and ruining every piece of equipment — not to mention my fledgling research career.

As my pulse returned to non-heart-attack levels, I realized the fire had been small potatoes. A quick smother with a lab coat would’ve done the trick. But in the heat (pun intended) of the moment, all I could picture was a deluge of sprinkler water turning our lab into an indoor swimming pool. My lab mates, drawn by the commotion, arrived to find me surrounded by foam and singed paper, looking like I’d just fought a dragon and lost.

“Nice redecorating,” quipped Sarah, a grad student, kicking a smoldering towel scrap. The lab manager, Dr. Kessler, surveyed the scene, sighed, and said, “Well, at least you didn’t burn the building down… this time.” The room erupted in laughter, and I, red-faced, joined in—because what else do you do when you’ve turned a trash can into a pyrotechnic display?

Cleanup took elbow grease, a vacuum, and a lot of ethanol wipes. A faint scorch mark on the trash can remains, a badge of my fiery misadventure. By the next lab meeting, the story had grown legs, with one postdoc swearing I’d “battled a chemical volcano.” The lesson? Never mix LAH with wet trash unless you’re auditioning for a lab-safety horror flick. In our high-stakes world of organometallic research, sometimes a rookie mistake —and a good laugh — lights up the week brighter than any flame.

P.S. All names were changed in case of privacy reasons. Thanks for the story for our subscriber.

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Events Calendar

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TOP-10 fiction books:

While science fiction explores speculative futures and technologies, there's a growing body of literature that realistically portrays scientists and their work in contemporary settings — a genre known as "lab lit."

  1. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

The first in Atwood's MaddAddam trilogy examines genetic engineering and corporate science through the eyes of a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world. It raises profound questions about the responsibilities of scientists. Read it

  1. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

This novel follows former college roommates who discover that near-death experiences can trigger supernatural abilities. Their scientific experimentation leads to a rivalry with catastrophic consequences, exploring what happens when scientific ambition overrides ethics. Read it

  1. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

This novel combines scientific exploration with human drama as it follows a young woman's encounter with climate change impacts when monarch butterflies appear in her rural Tennessee community. Read it

  1. Intuition by Allegra Goodman

Set in a cancer research lab, this novel examines the pressure to produce results and the politics of scientific research. When a promising breakthrough emerges, questions about data integrity arise, creating a compelling exploration of scientific ethics and ambition. Read it

  1. Real Life by Brandon Taylor

This debut novel follows a biochemistry graduate student navigating the complexities of academic research while dealing with personal challenges. It offers an authentic portrayal of lab work alongside a nuanced exploration of identity. Read it

  1. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

This award-winning novel explores complex scientific concepts while following researchers confronting an alien civilization. Its rigorous approach to physics and mathematical concepts has earned praise from scientists. Read it

  1. The Gold Bug Variations by Richard Powers

This ambitious novel intertwines genetics, computer science, music theory, and art history through the lives of scientists working on the genetic code. While challenging, it rewards readers with profound insights about information, knowledge, and human connection. Read it

  1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Following a scientist who wakes up alone on a spaceship with amnesia, this novel features extensive problem-solving and experimentation. Scientists will appreciate the protagonist's methodical approach to survival and discovery. Read it

  1. Contact by Carl Sagan

Written by renowned astrophysicist Carl Sagan, this novel follows an astronomer who detects signals from an extraterrestrial civilization. The scientific process and the intersection of science with politics and religion are central themes. Read it

  1. Bellwether by Connie Willis

This humorous novel centers on a research scientist studying fads who finds herself in increasingly chaotic circumstances. The novel cleverly examines how scientific breakthroughs actually happen and the role of serendipity in discovery. Read it

🧪 Lab Lifehacks. Labeling samples for storage.

Labeling samples for storage (especially in freezers or liquid nitrogen) can be time-consuming, and standard labels may fade or peel under extreme conditions, leading to misidentification.

Lifehack.
Use a custom color-coded cryogenic marker system to pre-label tubes before collection. Instead of relying solely on handwritten or printed labels, assign specific colored cryogenic markers (e.g., Sharpie Cryo or VWR Cryogenic Markers) to different sample types, time points, or experiments. For example, red for blood plasma, blue for tissue homogenates, green for time-sensitive samples. Combine this with a standardized numbering system (e.g., initials + date + sample number) written in the corresponding color. Store a color-coded legend in a waterproof sleeve near the storage unit.

Why It Works. 
The visual cue of color speeds up sample retrieval by ~30% (based on my lab’s informal tests), reduces errors in high-throughput settings, and ensures labels remain legible in -80°C or liquid nitrogen environments. Most colleagues stick to monochromatic labels and don’t leverage this dual visual-numeric approach.

Pro Tip. 
Test markers on spare tubes in your storage conditions to ensure ink stability. Keep a dedicated marker set in the lab to avoid cross-contamination.

Thank you for reading.

Pr. LabTuna