Editing 2514: Lab Equipment

{{comic
| number    = 2514
| date      = September 10, 2021
| title     = Lab Equipment
| image     = lab_equipment.png
| titletext = I've been working on chocolate bar annealing techniques to try to produce the perfect laser s'more. Maybe don't mention that on the grant application though.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic claims that in every science lab, there exists some piece of equipment that sticks around less for being useful, and more because the scientists and technicians just think the device is really cool.

The comic presents a laboratory containing equipment for analysis of substances. While giving [[Cueball]] a tour of the lab equipment, [[Ponytail]] shows a spectrometer &mdash; a device that examines light emitted from or passed through samples to fingerprint emission or absorption lines in the mix of light. Next she shows the "Nd:YAG" lasers. It is unknown if the multiple lasers are for redundancy or if they have different specifications and are for different tests. "Nd:YAG" stands for {{w|Nd:YAG_laser|neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet}}; it is a lasing medium commonly used in lasers. Lastly she shows off a decommissioned laser not used in experiments, but rather for toasting marshmallows.  

The claim that such things are almost universal is, in fact, very realistic. When doing any research, especially cutting-edge research, it's often difficult to predict what equipment will be useful or not, so it's inevitable those some things will be purchased, and not turn out to be very effective in their experiments.  Some of these things will end up being sold, put into storage, repurposed, or even thrown away, but some equipment is enjoyed by the researchers, despite a lack of official uses, and so will end up being kept around.  Researchers, being human{{citation needed}}, are going to do some things in the lab for their own amusement, rather than because it's part of a formal experiment, and if equipment has already been purchased, keeping it because it's enjoyable is usually overlooked.  Additionally, just playing around with high-end equipment can occasionally lead to useful discoveries. Basic research is difficult to plan out, and sometimes just letting scientists play around with powerful equipment can produce unexpected results, which can lead to new scientific understanding. 

The title-text mentions that she's using "annealing techniques" to make the perfect s'more.  A {{w|s'more}} is a popular treat in the United States and Canada, consisting of one or more toasted marshmallows and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. {{w|Annealing (materials science)|Annealing}} is more commonly a heat-treatment technique used to influence the nature of the crystals in metals for structural reasons.  This is done when jewelry is molded from molten metal, but more likely Randall means a use of annealing in scientific research. Annealing is also used in {{w|Annealing_(glass)|glass production}}.  This suggests that Ponytail is trying to use lasers and/or other specialized heating equipment to control the melting process of the chocolate, in conjuction with precision toasted marshmallows, to perfect this treat.  She points out that this shouldn't be mentioned on the grant application. When labs apply for grants to purchase or upgrade equipment, or to fund research projects, they emphasize the scientific principles that could be advanced (and potential useful products that might be produced) as a result of their research.  The idea that researchers might be using the equipment to amuse themselves and work on whimsical side projects would be unlikely to impress the groups offering the grant,{{citation needed}} even though, as [[Randall]] points out, such things are pretty much ubiquitous.

==Transcript==


:[Ponytail and Cueball are talking to each other. They are standing between two tables with equipment scattered on them, including lens-stands and eye-protection. Ponytail is pointing away from Cueball towards an unidentified off-panel location.]

:Ponytail: The spectrometer is over here, the Nd:YAG lasers are over here,
:Ponytail: and in the corner is a laser that turned out not to be useful for us, but we keep it because it's fun to toast marshmallows with it.

:[Caption below the panel]
:Every lab in every field has some piece of equipment like this.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Food]]