Hi,

Haven’t written last week because lots been going around and didn’t had much time, but finally I got some rest this weekend (slept till 12pm… like a baby).

As I wrote in my previous post my sister and friend came to visit me last weekend, it was really nice to see them. I also finally got my bite of black bread, however, though my sister brought me two loafs of bread one was stolen from the fridge, so I was really angry…(It’s actually a second time, the first time was Ben & Jerry’s box)… hrrrrr… mental note- don’t keep food in the fridge in the kitchen.

I also can’t resist bragging about my birthday presents:

First, my sister and friend gave me the sweetest lunch box ever; moreover, it was full of chocolate.

Second, my brother is the best brother ever (if that would even be a question)!!! From now on I own a lab mouse, its name is Mike, it speaks in strange language but can be dubbed in English.

And this is how much my parents love me…

As concerns my studies, they are still as interesting as ever (what a surprise…). Though, the amount of work is starting to increase. My new tactics for putting all the metabolism in the head is to make brain maps, it really helps and is quite fun too, though, sometimes takes quite a lot o time…

Yesterday I went to Portobello market. It seems to become my tradition and I really enjoy it; a great way to take your mind of things. I usually buy 2kg of bananas and some fresh vegetables and it only costs 2-3£. On the way back I always go to MacDonald’s and buy an ice cream cone (I’m addicted to ice cream).  It’s funny to see some people covered with scarfs and hats looking at me like I’m  some kind of a weirdo… I don’t get it, it’s hot in here!!! Oh, if you think what I do with 2kg of bananas, I usually make pancakes… and if I don’t have bananas I add lost of sugar and cinnamon to the recipe and eat them just like this…

Pancake business

Smell it???

“So far, so good”, I would say about my life at Imperial. I’m really having the time of my life here. There’s always plenty to do and see around, so I never get bored. We started to study cell biology and it’s so interesting that I can hardly take my head of the books. When I do take it of, I either go for a long walk to nowhere with a tee thermos in my hand or to some classical music concert (I will write about them in the upcoming posts). And even when it seems that everyday is a great experience, there is something missing, something that I left back at home.

I write this post for two reasons. Firstly, to warn any prospective student and secondly, in hope that those who were left behind will read it and will know how much I wish they were here.

Who am I talking about? FAMILY. I miss them more than I can tell. It seems that when something is around you day-to-day for 18 years you don’t even notice it’s there. Then suddenly, when you are separated by 1700km you understand what an enormous part of your life it is. So be warned prospective students, don’t be fooled by the thought of finally becoming a fully independent person because independency comes at a big price.

It’s my birthday an Monday and it’s the first time that I won’t be eating a birthday cake with my family around the table and dog under it asking for its slice. Every time I see an old car on a street it reminds me of my brother. A cup of tee makes me think of my mum. When I’m making pancakes, I think that no one makes better pancakes than my dad. Passing the Starbucks reminds me of my sister who has a part-time job in a similar café and makes me a free latte with additional scoop of syrup every time I show up. Believe me, Skype is just not the same as being near each other…

On a brighter note, my sister and friend are coming to visit me next week and I can’t wait to see them!!! I also booked two loafs of black bread from her, sorry, but British bread is more like a baked porridge than anything else. Moreover, I heard that my mum is sending me 1kg of home baked cookies!!! (Yes, be jealous).

Speaking of bread, I did bake my own bread yesterday- IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!!! YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY!!! There is nothing more divine than a bite of warm freshly baked bread with jam on top and a sip of tee to follow.

So that’s that, for this time. What I meant to say by this post is that the real happiness comes only when you can share it with someone who is dear to you. Please, don’t think that I live in a misery at the moment, locked in my room, crying my eyes out. I’m definitely NOT. As I said I’m having the time of my life here. It’s just that I miss those simple moments that seemed to be every day affairs, because they turned out to have an unspoken meaning to me.

A moment to savor

Miss you all back home a lot- hope you do too.

First but not the last try of baking bread

Bečius.

Try to tell me that there is no magic in science! …Oh, you would be so wrong…

Today I read two scientific facts that blew my mind!

1. Anyone who read or saw Harry Potter book/movie would remember the Basilisk- enormous snake that can kill by a single glance from its eyes. Or if you don’t know the snake just imagine any other character that has some paranormal mind power (I think there was someone in X-men, though I’m not sure). Well, it seems that nature has awarded with mind power some of its lovely creatures. To be more precise, the lovely creatures in question are fishes and dragonflies. A study done in the University of Toronto found that when dragonfly larvae are exposed to predators, i.e. fishes or other dragonfly species, their survival rates decrease 2.5-4.3 times. Dragonflies are also more likely to die if the predators are present at the moment of metamorphosis. Amazing, isn’t it?! Just think, how evolution works!!! Some are even lucky enough to get superpowers!!!

Scientifically speaking, it is suggested that the higher death rate is caused by increased stress which makes dragonflies more susceptible to possibly lethal factors.

For anyone who would like to read the article it’s called “The deadly effects of “nonlethal” predators” by Shannon J. McCauley et al.

2. Last week we had to write an essay about animal size, so I spend a lot of time searching for explanations to why some animals are small while others reach sizes of hundreds of kilograms. The answer- well, as it is most of the time in science, there is no universal agreement. Anyway, it seems that there are some things that are identical even if the difference in size is almost 100 tons. I am talking about a 2g shrew and 100t blue whale.  A shrew lives up to 2 years, whereas a whale approx. 85 years. Though, their lifespans differ quite dramatically, their hearts seem to do the same amount of work during animals’ lives. Both hearts make 1.1 billion beats and pump 200mil.L/kg of blood per lifetime. Imagine that! You wouldn’t even notice a shrew near the whale; there is probably no body part in a whale that is as small as a shrew! (It’s not a Wikipedia fact!!! “On being the right size: heart design, mitochondrial efficiency and lifespan potential”)

Science, I love it!!! It’s an inexhaustible source of the most amazing facts and figures. If you enjoy science and nature, you will never be bored!