I’m giving an exam this morning, and I needed to get to work early to make copies, so I didn’t have time for lengthy, insightful blogging. So here’s a dorky poll.
This one needs a little background. A post-doc in my old group at NIST used to say that he always wished he had a prehensile tail, because there are lots of situations where you need a third hand. It doesn’t have to be a very good hand, but when you’re doing experimental work, you frequently wind up holding a flashlight in your mouth, while attempting to connect two wires in an awkward position, and it would be good to have a tail to hold the light.
So, here’s the question:
What biological adaptation or modification would make your research life easier?
My answer: I’m a big guy, and as such, I have big hands. Many electronic and mechanical devices are designed for people who are a whole lot smaller than I am, and I wind up having a horrible time trying to fit my fingers into little spaces to get at parts in need of repair.
Thus, the adaptation I’d like to have would be re-scalable digits– some way to make my fingers smaller or more flexible, to allow for manipulation of small parts in tight spaces. That would save me countless small cuts and soldering iron burns.
So what would make your life easier?