Migration!

I am planning to migrate to Wordpress.com (and, thanks Abi for the tip). The main advantage I found with Wordpress is that they allow categorisation of posts. So, I do not need to maintain two different blogs, and it makes easier for people to navigate through the blog based on their topics of interest. In addition, wordpress also allows for private (and password-protected) posts. The new blog is called Entertaining Research--the Alicious adventures of a Malkanthapuragudi-an. It will take a while for the new blog to be customised; in the meanwhile, any comments or suggestions you may have are welcome! See you there!

The new firefox experience!

Here is an essay from Wired News about the firefox hacks that you must have!

Singing Neanderthals - Yet another review!

Through PTDR, I learnt about another review of the singing Neanderthals--this time around by Ellen Dissanayake. The book is getting such nice reviews, next time I visit strand, I should check if they have a copy!

Description of computer languages!

Paul Graham has this nice description of computer languages in terms of the problems that they fix. Worth taking a look

Future of HTML!

Part 1 of a two part essay on the future of HTML; link via /.

Wanna read about evolution?

An Update
Here is another humorous post via Pharyngula--Just don't miss it. It is so funny, I have not stopped laughing yet!

The inimitable Pharyngula, who never fails to amuse, is out with a reading list for evolutionists--just in case you might be interested. Even otherwise, bookmark or save the post--might come handy sometime!

Breaking the diffraction barrier!

I was under the impression that the resolution of any optical microscope would be limited by diffraction; apparently, it is not so. The latest PNAS carries an article about breaking the diffraction barrier in flourescence microscopy using photoswitchable proteins. Here is the abstract. By the way, the paper is classified (also) under the key keyword nanoscopy.

I am yet to understand the concept of how they break the diffraction barrier; that might answer the question as to whether this method can be used for the study of non-biological specimens. The paper does contain micrographs of grooves on a glass specimen obtained using their microscope. However, those are obtained by filling the grooves with fluorescing proteins (by absorption). In that case, absorption of a fluorescing medium will be a necessary condition, and, I do not know if metallurgical samples, for example, absorb any such dyes. Any pointers?