(May contain roasted peas) Not me but Mrs Sandettie
A biomedical science degree does not necessarily mean you have a grasp of basic maths.
Mrs SLVA is a medical lab assistant and had to make up some solution or other. A bio-medical scientist (BMS) told her it's a 1:2 solution.

Wife: "So, 100ml of chemical to 200ml of water?"
BMS: "No, 100ml of each"
Wife: "But that's a 1:1 solution"
BMS: "No, it's a 1:2 solution, you use 100ml of chemical and you get 200ml of solution"
Wife: "That's not how ratios work. 1:2 means 100ml of chemical and 200ml of water"
BMS: "no it isn't"
Wife: "Yes it is."
BMS: "No it isn't" (with an air of I've got a degree in medical science and get paid way more than you do.)
Wife: "Ok, so what amounts would make a 1:1?" (with an air of I know what I'm fucking talking about and I've only got a C at GCSE Biology and a D in maths)
BMS: You can't have a 1:1 solution

Mrs SLVA face-palmed so much that she actually beat her face into the shape of a wok.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Wed 9 Mar 2011, 13:49, 10 replies)

For

(waxdart hello., Wed 9 Mar 2011, 14:05, closed)

The

(waxdart hello., Wed 9 Mar 2011, 14:06, closed)

Win
well done sir.
(waxdart hello., Wed 9 Mar 2011, 14:06, closed)

I had exactly the same argument a couple of months ago.
...with a guy whose job is mixing paints. When I complained the the colour I'd ordered was completely unlike the colour I received, I ended up shouting "a 1 to 2 solution is NOT the same as a 1 IN 2 solution!" and still he didn't get it.
( sanityclause is waiting until, Wed 9 Mar 2011, 14:22, closed)

More proof that biology isn't a real science.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 9 Mar 2011, 15:31, closed)

Instead of sums like physics
they do colouring in. I have been told this by several biology teachers.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Wed 9 Mar 2011, 17:33, closed)

That's why I fuck all my biology up REAL good with physics.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 10 Mar 2011, 11:50, closed)

I said it last time but...
... most lab protocols use dilution factors (i.e. one in two) rather than dilution ratios (i.e. one to two).

If you wrote 1:2 in a protocol that I was given, I (and most other people) would assume a total volume that was twice the volume of the solute (i.e. equal volume of both). In that sense he was right, you can't have a solution with no solvent!

Are you sure you got the story the right way round, or could it be your wife that is the stupid colleague:-)
(silene, Wed 9 Mar 2011, 15:53, closed)

I read the story the other way.
I thought it was his missus being described as having it wrong. I also thought that I would have done the same as her.
My limited recollection of this kind of thing makes me think he was right -- because I seem to remember some confusion when I encountered this.
I did drop out of both degrees I attempted though, and it was a while ago.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 9 Mar 2011, 17:33, closed)

I also said this last time.
SVLA is right but it's an easy confusion as a fair few lab techs tend to use 1in rather than 1to but write it 1:
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 10 Mar 2011, 11:51, closed)