I enjoy when the nice abstract models we work with are given a course-correction, and we are reminded of the profound, gargantuan complexity of the real world.

I enjoy when the nice abstract models we work with are given a course-correction, and we are reminded of the profound, gargantuan complexity of the real world. Sometimes, we get lost in our models and start thinking that they are reality, rather than just poor approximations of the real mess that's out there. So, nice article (: For a shorter version, that also gives some of that sense of the real complexity of cells, I like "Cells are very fast and crowded places"[1]. One good quote: molecules move unimaginably quickly due to thermal motion. A small molecule such as glucose is cruising around a cell at about 250 miles per hour, while a large protein molecule is moving at 20 miles per hour. Note that these are actual speeds inside the cell, not scaled-up speeds. I'm not talking about driving through a crowded Times Square at 20 miles per hour; to scale this would be more like driving through Times Square at 20 million miles per hour! [1] http://www.righto.com/2011/07/cells-are-very-fast-and-crowded-places.html http://www.righto.com/2011/07/cells-are-very-fast-and-crowde...