Marine Biological Laboratory, More on Woods Hole.

Woods Hole, though mostly a lovely little village, is also home to three big, important scientific organizations. There's WHOI (pronounced Who - eee), the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; there's NOAA (pronounced like Noah), the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration - a federal agency focused on, um, the oceans and atmosphere - lots of weather related stuff. And MBL, Marine Biological Laboratory where The Son of works. I hope you can read the text on the picture taken in the front of the building Son Of works in. It tells you lots about MBL.

But just in case, here is the transcription: Marine Biological Laboratory, "The uniquely national center for biology in this country" - Lewis Thomas, The Lives of a Cell. Founded in 1888, the Marine Biological Laboratory is the oldest private marine laboratory inthe western hemisphere. The MBL's mission is to improve the human condition through basic research and education in biology, biomedicine, and environmental science.

Resident and visiting scientists from around the world conduct research in a variety of areas including developmental biology and infertility, neurobiology and neurodegenerative disorders, learning and memory, cell and molecular biology and evolution, genomics and global infections diseases, and nutrient cycling and climate change. In addition, the MBLs advanced, graduate level education probram is know through the life sciences for kick-starting the research careers of the world's best and brightest biologists.

Learn more about the MBL a the Pierce Visitors Center across the street or by visiting our website at www.mbl.edu.

Woods Hole - Son of COG

Last Saturday the COG and I visited Son of COG in his new place in Woods Hole. We saw his room in a large wonderful old house; met his landlady, Virginia, who seemed a very interesting woman a little older than us. The Son of.. showed us the wonderful deck/widow's walk at the top of the house from which you can see the ocean a few blocks away.
Then, we walked the couple of blocks into the center of town. The second picture is the place where Son of has breakfast most days. Really a charming looking place, where they make everything on site - including roasting coffee beans. He showed us where he works ( separate blog about that).
We had a lovely dinner at a charming restaurant. Then we walked home the long way, along the beach. The lighthouse in the pictures is pretty famous, at least locally.
And there's a glimpse of the COG and Son of... It reminds me of a picture taken at the Island, about 25 years ago, with both of them looking out at the water.

It was interesting to see Woods Hole after the places we visited in Spain. It was really very similar in many ways. It's a wonderful part of the Cape.