Biology

Kristina Nickerson

Now, I normally use basic household items to do the DNA extraction activity with my kids, but I grabbed myself a DNA extraction kit from Carolina Biological for the funsies (I am not sponsored by Carolina Biological). The Premium DNA Keepsake Kit is a beginner kit that comes in 1-station (demonstration), 12-station, and 24-station (classroom) sizes and is conveniently available for residential shipping. Carolina also has a 36-station version that does not include the pendants. That pack is much…

Immune Response Quick Course

A simplified but functional description of the immune system.

Kristina Nickerson

I’m going to do something a little different, today. I’m going to explain some things to you without performing my own experiment. I definitely don’t have a sophisticated enough lab (or enough money to throw around) to start doing immune assays in my basement, but all of what I’m telling you has been tested and seen and shown to be true so obviously and so many times that even the current federal government believes the scientists saying it. So let’s talk about the immune system. I am going to…

Probing Probiotics

Testing the contents of OTC probiotic supplements.

Kristina Nickerson

When my infant daughter needed a strong antibiotic to treat both an ear infection and conjunctivitis, I worried a lot about how to help her microbiome recover more quickly. The suggestion I got from doctors and moms alike was to use probiotics. Before I even considered giving an unregulated supplement to my child, I needed to check that it contained what it said it did. I won’t go into the different sides or my decision about the use of probiotics in this post, but I will show you the results of…

Testing Amber Teething Necklaces

Snake oil? Yeah, snake oil.

Kristina Nickerson

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about amber teething necklaces, especially in mom groups on Facebook. I am extremely skeptical of these necklaces, as I am anything that makes money off of parents desperate to keep their children from suffering. So I decided to comb through the internet and collect some information. Once I did that, I realized there were some important and simple tests missing that I could do at home.