The sabotage was ultimately confirmed by video from some hidden cameras. One was placed by a lab fridge and the other in the cold room.
After reading about the situation, two thoughts immediately popped into my head:
1. Wow, I'm glad the culprit got caught.
2. I wonder how many saboteurs do NOT get caught?
After stewing on the latter for a bit, I had to wonder about the hidden cameras.
There were times in grad school that I could have sworn that The Boss had us under surveillance. We as a group often joked about it.
But what if there really WAS a lab version of a Nanny Cam? Where would it go? A beaker wouldn't work, but the back of the hood has some possibilities. Or a pipet stand. Or one of the empty boxes that get stored on the top of the reagent shelves for three years for no good reason.
Just imagine the things a PI would suddenly be privy to. Happy data dances? Tears of frustration? Lab altercations?
What lab behaviors do YOU hope stay hidden from your PI (or from your students)?
