Viral Videos Part 2

[Simon Holdaway]

Viral Videos 2

A few months back we highlighted several riotously funny science videos making the rounds on the Internet. In this article we return to the topic with a fresh batch of hilarity suitable for the classroom, or just a private chuckle to yourself. Read on for recommendations, reviews and links to the videos. But be warned, you should plan on a pleasant half hour of amusement as the process unfolds. Do not enter unless you have that free time in your schedule.


GTCA – Biorad

Biorad might not have invented the viral science video (nerd videos?), but they have certainly ascended to the alpha wolf position in the field. We reviewed their first effort, Scientists for a Better PCR’ here. If you haven’t seen that video yet be sure to watch it before watching this video – since the two form a seamless and integrated storyline.

GTCA is a parody of the Village People’s YMCA, completer with catchy tune, exuberant chorus and animated, possibly demented, dancing motion that is sure to take your laboratory by storm. You can catch the YouTube version here, but we recommend surfing to Biorad’s video site for the extras, alternate versions, outtakes, and videos with subtitles (for karaoke?). Biorad has really outdone themselves this time, with a comprehensive website, the ability to download every possible version of the video in QuickTime format, and even a ringtone for your cell phone!

Note: we highly recommend the Bobby Fisher Dance-a-thon video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQEaX3MiDow


http://bio-rad.cnpg.com/Video/flatFiles/799/


SNP Guru – Applied Biosystems

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms are the currency of molecular biology these days. In order to probe the genetic links underlying common lifestyle diseases researchers look for variations at the single nucleotide level in genes. A single G/T switch can mean the difference between early onset disease, and an extended lifespan. Extracting the genomic DNA, amplifying the short coding sequence under study, and then sequencing the DNA can be a time consuming task. Applied Biosystems (now part of Invitrogen, and renamed Life Technologies) has released a video spoofing The Food Channel’s Iron Chef format. Three researchers from around the globe compete to complete SNP analysis in a laboratory setting that looks strangely familiar to viewers. Enjoy the play by play commentary team and the exuberance of the winner. Home economics was never this interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J76Qd7zFenE


Stanford Rappers

Finally we have a group of videos from Stanford University. Working mostly, but not exclusively, in the rap format a group of lecturers and science graduate students have produced a series of short videos that parody mainstream culture while being incredibly entertaining. Be warned, the science behind the videos is graduate level in complexity, but the wannabe rap artists have embedded the lyrics into their song as subtitles, which helps with comprehension, and the parody style is entertaining in its own right.

Regulatin Genes

Perhaps the best of the bunch, and featured in John Tierney’s science blog at The New York Times, this is a video about transcription factors and HOX genes. But it is done in the style of a Jay-Z rap video – surely something your students will be familiar with? Click on the link to be educated and informed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k_oKK4Teco

Also, more background info at:

http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/...n-for-science/


Back to the Plasma Membrane

The second Stanford video we feature is ‘Back to the Plasma membrane’ a rap song/ode to the lowly vesicle. Again, the video comes with subtitles for those of us who cannot remember our graduate cell biology theory. Pay close attention to the background images in this video – they are from a different ATG article in this edition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1KXibLIOGY


Too late to apoptize

Finally, a non-rap video from the Stanford group. The video seems to have more of a rock ballad theme, with a dash of over the top science. Apoptosis, or cell programmed suicide, is a serious cell phenomenon, often neglected at the lower levels of science instruction. Hopefully this video will correct some of that problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHOX43-4PvE