Comments on: Geeks Like Us Are Naming Genes http://katiebonn.com/2008/05/21/geeks-like-us-are-naming-genes/ A whole lot of insignificant prattle Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:27:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: mollyswanson@livejournal http://katiebonn.com/2008/05/21/geeks-like-us-are-naming-genes/comment-page-1/#comment-27214 mollyswanson@livejournal Wed, 21 May 2008 13:19:27 +0000 http://katiebonn.com/?p=41#comment-27214 <p>My favorite these days is when physicists make up an <em>algorithm</em> that inherently generates silly names. Take supersymmetry: in this theory every ordinary particle has a partner "superparticle" yet to be discovered. One class of these superparticles get named by adding an s to the beginning of the name of the ordinary particle. So the top quark (not an altogether un-silly name in and of itself) has a superpartner called a stop squark. STOP SQUARK!</p> <p>Also, a quote from Jessie Shelton: "Two years ago I decided I could call myself a phenomenologist when I was able to say "stop squark" with a straight face. Now that I'm finally there, people have started giving seminars about "quirks" and "squirks"."</p> My favorite these days is when physicists make up an algorithm that inherently generates silly names. Take supersymmetry: in this theory every ordinary particle has a partner “superparticle” yet to be discovered. One class of these superparticles get named by adding an s to the beginning of the name of the ordinary particle. So the top quark (not an altogether un-silly name in and of itself) has a superpartner called a stop squark. STOP SQUARK!

Also, a quote from Jessie Shelton: “Two years ago I decided I could call myself a phenomenologist when I was able to say “stop squark” with a straight face. Now that I’m finally there, people have started giving seminars about “quirks” and “squirks”.”

]]> By: lichen@livejournal http://katiebonn.com/2008/05/21/geeks-like-us-are-naming-genes/comment-page-1/#comment-27210 lichen@livejournal Wed, 21 May 2008 12:44:30 +0000 http://katiebonn.com/?p=41#comment-27210 <p>the drosophila researchers usually have the most fun with the namings. essentially, it's relatively easy to do large mutation screens in the bugs, validate you've only hit one gene, then look at the fly and name the phenotype. hence sonic hedgehog, etc. here's a fun list: http://tinman.vetmed.helsinki.fi/eng/drosophila.html.</p> <p>i used to have a friend in my department who worked in zebrafish with a "piggy tail mutant" which had a mutation that resulted in a little curly tail in the fish.</p> the drosophila researchers usually have the most fun with the namings. essentially, it’s relatively easy to do large mutation screens in the bugs, validate you’ve only hit one gene, then look at the fly and name the phenotype. hence sonic hedgehog, etc. here’s a fun list: http://tinman.vetmed.helsinki.fi/eng/drosophila.html.

i used to have a friend in my department who worked in zebrafish with a “piggy tail mutant” which had a mutation that resulted in a little curly tail in the fish.

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