The Lounge

A space dedicated to research, experimentation, and technical curiosities outside of the day-to-day PKI lab. Here, I explore micro-structures through a student microscope, observe tiny critters harvested from backyard bio-reactors, and brainstorm precision engineering methods just for the fun of it.

For no particular reason beyond the extraordinary cool-factor, I set up several outdoor vessels packed with organic material and dubbed them "bio-reactors." The first creation was the Fish-tank Bio-reactor, born after a wild mouse I housed in the tank died of natural causes (after living a comfortable, hands-off two years as a cared-for friend—a story about cats dropping off live "presents" inside the house for another time...). While cleaning out the tank, I decided to see what would happen if I mixed regular tap water, road sand, dirt, and organic detritus. It has been resting on my front porch since July 2026, and most of the initial photos in the gallery below showcase microscopic critters harvested from it.

I have since built two additional bio-reactors. The second is an anaerobic jar packed with shredded grass clippings, dirt, and a Slippery Jack mushroom cap that popped up in my yard after a heavy rain. The third jar was created to bring a Bacopa cutting indoors to overwinter. I wanted to propagate this specific Bacopa because it originated on "Bog Island"—a floating habitat inside the Fish-tank Bio-reactor built from filter mesh, a smear of dirt, yard detritus, and foam floats.