LabHacks

Many artists use a paint brush – and so do some scientists. At the MDC, they also use a toothbrush with just one bristle. Here we reveal what this paint brush and single-bristle toothbrush activity is all about.

Many researchers at the MDC are investigating proteins or RNA, but these molecules are mostly tightly entrapped in tissue. This is how to get at them  ...

A tea strainer is very versatile, even in the lab. It can be used to “harvest” eggs – but what sort of eggs?

Cats are not allowed in the lab of Oliver Daumke’s research team. Yet they make a valuable contribution to research – and we reveal what that is ...

Velvet is a special fabric used to make elegant and luxuriously soft and warm jackets and pants. But how is it used in the lab?

Spatulas are used in kitchens to get fried eggs, burgers, fried vegetables or pancakes safely out of the pan and onto the plate. This great kitchen utensil also comes in handy in the laboratory – we’ll tell you how …

Toothpicks are rarely seen on the dining table these days – after all, cheese hedgehogs have gone out of fashion and dental floss provides a more discreet alternative for oral hygiene. So what makes toothpicks popular in laboratories? Read on to find out…

Eating and drinking is strictly forbidden in the lab, as everyone knows. So why is milk powder often found on the shelves? Here is the explanation…

Worms have no teeth and they do not wear braces. So why does MDC researcher Andreas Ofenbauer need dental silicone when working with these little critters? Here is the explanation …