Re: Life / on viruses, DNA, and happiness
My life condensed into variably interesting posts on the internet
Welcome to Re: Life!
I’m Aaryan—a high schooler based in Sudbury, Canada—and you’ve stumbled on that weird place on the internet where I chronicle my life, thoughts, and the random things I create (from wind turbines to medical devices).
Let’s begin.
What I’ve Been Up To
:// This week, I’ve been self-studying virology. No real plan for now - just a mishmash of online courses, articles, and whatever residual knowledge I’ve gained from learning cancer biology. It’s tough going, but I’m learning a lot.
(Here’s just one example: Did you know that hundreds of millions of influenza vaccines are still made by incubating the virus in chicken eggs?)
:// Also, I’m learning to code in DNA! Right now, I’m “programming” a tiny ring of genetic material (technically called a plasmid) that should be able to produce the drug Ozempic when injected into E. coli. Here’s what it looks like!
:// It’s also worth noting that I’m writing this newsletter as I wade through a waist-deep pool of college errands.
Memorably, I’ve managed to: spend an entire day clothes shopping at Costco, decimate my thirty-hour driver’s education course in a weekend, and virtually tour most of Palo Alto with that tiny orange guy on Google Maps.
What will I do next?
Thought of the Week
Czech author Milan Kundera on our quest for fulfillment:
Happiness is the longing for repetition.
The very fact that you want more of life means that you already love it.
Excited to see what you do with Virology!