Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Exciting Lives of Scientists

Long story, but I found an article about a natural science museum in London. Here's to science with a sense of humor:

There is a genus of clam called Abra. So inevitably, in 1957, when they identified a new species within that genus, two scientists proposed the name cadabra. A few years later, scientists decided that "Abra cadabra" more correctly belonged to the genus Theora, and, says Fortey sadly, "there is nothing very entertaining about Theora cadabra"

I'm with you Fortey. Screw correct classification-I wanna laugh at my mollusks!

Quentin Wheeler, keeper of entomology, and a colleague named a series of slime-mould consuming beetles after the US administration: Agathidium bushi, A rumsfeldi, and A cheyneyi. He also named one after Darth Vader. One day he received a phone call that began "This is the president of the United States." He was about to answer "Oh yes? Well this is Darth Vader . . ." when he realised it actually was the president of the United States, who claimed to feel honoured to be immortalised in beetle nomenclature.

Err....call Bush "scum" and he'll probably get mad. Call him a "scum-sucking beetle" and he'll personally call and thank you.

8 comments:

Kristina P. said...

Man, those scientists are a riot! Who knew?

Bonnie the Boss said...

too funny. Where did you go to find this out? Did you google abracadabra or George Bush personal phone calls?
I like the stop sign and creative costume ideas.

Brittany Marie said...

I think that's awesome. Now I know what I'm going to be for Halloween.

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I will check out that video when my attorneys toddle off to court. (hahaha) I usually have the P&P soundtrack going as a default, but now I have something else to go with my latest post. I am reading S&S right now, but I can't find any of the songs from the soundtrack to put on my playlist. Oh well.

jo said...

ha!

Kristina P. said...

Lobbie, I haven't seen you around in ages! You still coming tomorrow?

Kristina P. said...

I'm sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well! It is the one by the mall on the east side of it.

Goob said...

I'm sitting at work while everybody else eats Olive Garden and saw you're apologies to Kristina so I figured I better come check your bloggy out. LOVE the funny scientists!

Kristina P. said...

Laurel, I'm sorry you couldn't come! It was great fun, but it wouldn't be great fun if you were puking all over the breadsticks.

We'll have to get together soon. Brittany also lives in West Jordan.