It's Research I Swear!

As part of my duties as a graduate student I provide services as a Teaching Assistant (or TA as we are ‘lovingly’ known as). The class I TA for this semester is Environmental Carcinogenesis (which is a class concerned with how the environment can give you cancer). I feel smart saying that I’m the TA for EC. My background however is in Biology and Environmental Studies (light on the Bio, heavy on the ES). I have a total of 2 classes of Biochem. Yet I was deemed the most appropriate person for the job (they must have been desperate).

All in all it’s not overly hard. I some marking and I have to lead a few discussions on specific papers they were to read. In order for me to lead such discussions I must not only read the papers but must understand them (!).

No problem. I’ll read with Wikipedia near by. Wikipedia knows the answer to everything. Sure enough I come across numerous words I can’t comprehend. I innocently enter a word for a an affliction in male newborns.

Maybe the specification of male newborn should have warned me to what was coming.

I push enter and up pops a penis on my computer screen.

(one might expect a diagram, not a full colour photograph)

I gasp, then giggle and then immediately shut up.

The last thing I need is my office mate to turn around to see what is causing the commotion only to find me browsing porn in the afternoon.

Stifling giggles the whole time I discover what I need know.

Now in case you curious as to the nature of this affliction please consult you own Wikipedia for Hypospadia.