links for 2009-05-20

Wicked video of a microchip controlling bacteria via electromagnetism making the chip move through a solution up a pH gradient.

via @genegeek via @edyong209

"I’ve started looking through the metagenomics literature(links to fulltext library) for simple protocols that could be adapted to a basic garage lab. I’m planning on outsourcing the actual sequencing ($50-$100?), but doing the rest of the sample preparation myself: isolating and purifying genomic DNA and doing PCR to amplify the species-specific DNA barcode, probably a 16s or 18s ribosomal subunit gene."