Easy to Replicate
I spoke on the last day of the American Crystallography Association meeting this year in Toronto. I missed the first couple of days and, consequently, a lot of vendors. I was, however, able to get in touch with Emerald Biosystems via Twitter (@reducentropy). I was able to set up a crystal card using their new machine called the PlugMaker. I was pretty excited since this was the first time a user sample had been on the instrument.
The machine is neat to watch operate as it combines buffer with precipitant and then injects an air plug to keep each sample separate.
Ok, so this is the lead in for a crazy story.
I am driving home from Toronto when all of a sudden, I am Mr. Popular at customs.
What was the purpose of your trip to Canada?
A science meeting.
Are you bringing anything back from the meeting?
Just a protein sample. (referring to the crystal card)
What type of sample?
It was at this point that I realized my trip home was going to be longer than expected.
So what to do?
Well, I told him about the sample like a dissertation defense.
I was worried that if I didn’t tell him exactly what the sample was then I might encounter some problems down the road.
So I am in the back of this long line at customs.
All of sudden an announcement comes over the PA system, “Could the person with the biological sample please identify themselves?”
I get brought up to the front of the line and am asked again about the sample.
I, again, explain away.
Blank stare.
I realize this guy has no idea what I’m talking about and that if I don’t make this easy for him then its going to be a long night.
Should I write this down?
Sure.
The customs agent is really nice and prints me off a declaration form about the sample, which I should have had.
I am home for about 4 hours before catching a flight to visit my family in Alaska. I end up leaving my crystal card in my checked bag. So my crystallization experiment gets a couple of doses of about 35,000 ft of pressure change and near freezing temperatures.
A month later, I am on my way back from Alaska and this time, I forget the crystal card completely. So the crystal card gets the pleasure of traveling three weeks in parcel post.
This week the card arrives– and guess what?
Crystals!