Michael Kasten
@madscientistphd.bsky.social
He/Him. Patch clamp 4lyfe. Applied physionecromancer, electrophysiologist, extraordinaire. Fan of any neuron that repolarizes >800 V/s.
There are entirely too many PhDs. Please eliminate 12.
Sincerely,
Abe Simpson
PS - I am not a crank
Sincerely,
Abe Simpson
PS - I am not a crank
November 7, 2025 at 5:44 PM
There are entirely too many PhDs. Please eliminate 12.
Sincerely,
Abe Simpson
PS - I am not a crank
Sincerely,
Abe Simpson
PS - I am not a crank
"I was getting help!!"
Sure, because if there's one room anywhere where you need to leave to go find medical assistance, it's the Trump oval office. As believable as "My phone was in the other room and I wanted to call 9-1-1"
Sure, because if there's one room anywhere where you need to leave to go find medical assistance, it's the Trump oval office. As believable as "My phone was in the other room and I wanted to call 9-1-1"
November 7, 2025 at 2:32 AM
"I was getting help!!"
Sure, because if there's one room anywhere where you need to leave to go find medical assistance, it's the Trump oval office. As believable as "My phone was in the other room and I wanted to call 9-1-1"
Sure, because if there's one room anywhere where you need to leave to go find medical assistance, it's the Trump oval office. As believable as "My phone was in the other room and I wanted to call 9-1-1"
Calls? Does texting not work or something? If I got a call from my kids I would assume I'd have to dispose of a body or something...
October 31, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Calls? Does texting not work or something? If I got a call from my kids I would assume I'd have to dispose of a body or something...
My Midwestern mother had me call her cousin "aunt" - because that's really the closest available word??
October 29, 2025 at 2:32 AM
My Midwestern mother had me call her cousin "aunt" - because that's really the closest available word??
Absolute GOAT.
October 28, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Absolute GOAT.
Wildly ignorant but It’s gotta be some sort of “carbon fiber attached to a piezo” situation, no?
October 21, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Wildly ignorant but It’s gotta be some sort of “carbon fiber attached to a piezo” situation, no?
Want to head north and do some patching? Always have a spare rig waiting for you….
October 21, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Want to head north and do some patching? Always have a spare rig waiting for you….
I’m sorry for your loss.
October 19, 2025 at 1:26 AM
I’m sorry for your loss.
Years ago, I had a perfect Ig Nobel project that actually proved an interesting proof of concept. I was rejected because while truly informative and useful, it was "silly".
It was the beginning of my mad scientist journey. #stillmad
It was the beginning of my mad scientist journey. #stillmad
October 4, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Years ago, I had a perfect Ig Nobel project that actually proved an interesting proof of concept. I was rejected because while truly informative and useful, it was "silly".
It was the beginning of my mad scientist journey. #stillmad
It was the beginning of my mad scientist journey. #stillmad
The halo is temporary, the rest is permanent.
October 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
The halo is temporary, the rest is permanent.
Poor. Electrical. Connection. (Intermittent).
Great for testing grounding, looking for loops, etc, but once that’s done? Banana plugs!!
Great for testing grounding, looking for loops, etc, but once that’s done? Banana plugs!!
October 4, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Poor. Electrical. Connection. (Intermittent).
Great for testing grounding, looking for loops, etc, but once that’s done? Banana plugs!!
Great for testing grounding, looking for loops, etc, but once that’s done? Banana plugs!!
Lolol. We have an older model (not even sure it’s Thorlabs??) and the power supply just died. I swapped it out with a laptop power supply I had and it worked great!! It works but just doesn’t like to stay off.
October 3, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Lolol. We have an older model (not even sure it’s Thorlabs??) and the power supply just died. I swapped it out with a laptop power supply I had and it worked great!! It works but just doesn’t like to stay off.
Booooo!!! I was looking to buy one of those. Ground wire coming out of a BNC sounds is genius!!
October 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Booooo!!! I was looking to buy one of those. Ground wire coming out of a BNC sounds is genius!!
I’ve gotten to the point that I have:
1) run a ton of water through the lines to remove any residual salt
2) replace the tubing every ~2-3 months
3) run a ground wire through tubing
I hate it.
Electronics on the rig that don’t properly ground are the devil. Best reason to buy from “ephys folk”
1) run a ton of water through the lines to remove any residual salt
2) replace the tubing every ~2-3 months
3) run a ground wire through tubing
I hate it.
Electronics on the rig that don’t properly ground are the devil. Best reason to buy from “ephys folk”
October 3, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I’ve gotten to the point that I have:
1) run a ton of water through the lines to remove any residual salt
2) replace the tubing every ~2-3 months
3) run a ground wire through tubing
I hate it.
Electronics on the rig that don’t properly ground are the devil. Best reason to buy from “ephys folk”
1) run a ton of water through the lines to remove any residual salt
2) replace the tubing every ~2-3 months
3) run a ground wire through tubing
I hate it.
Electronics on the rig that don’t properly ground are the devil. Best reason to buy from “ephys folk”
When it’s not that it’s usually a salty bridge in the bath, the pipette holder, or the damn vacuum line (my personal nemesis).
October 3, 2025 at 9:34 PM
When it’s not that it’s usually a salty bridge in the bath, the pipette holder, or the damn vacuum line (my personal nemesis).
I’m always trying to tell people it’s less complicated than you think. 99% of the time, something isn’t grounded (or is improperly grounded, ie, a poor connection). It might be a lamp, a manipulator, the microscope, etc. Use a central grounding station with banana clips (no alligator clips).
October 3, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I’m always trying to tell people it’s less complicated than you think. 99% of the time, something isn’t grounded (or is improperly grounded, ie, a poor connection). It might be a lamp, a manipulator, the microscope, etc. Use a central grounding station with banana clips (no alligator clips).
Apologies if this is too <old man yells at cloud>
October 3, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Apologies if this is too <old man yells at cloud>
I haven’t used HumSilencer, these devices may help give better recordings/traces, I don’t recommend them, it’s always better to work out and minimize noise directly. Occasionally noise sources may be ungroundable (once had a manipulator that had 20 kHz noise + harmonics from a stepper motor).
October 3, 2025 at 8:46 PM
I haven’t used HumSilencer, these devices may help give better recordings/traces, I don’t recommend them, it’s always better to work out and minimize noise directly. Occasionally noise sources may be ungroundable (once had a manipulator that had 20 kHz noise + harmonics from a stepper motor).
Finally!! One good thing happens in Peoria! What's next, Moline? #probablynot
September 28, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Finally!! One good thing happens in Peoria! What's next, Moline? #probablynot