Who says nerds don’t have a sense of humor? “Science Now” is way hip:
Scientists today announced they have located a gene apparently responsible for a person’s sense of humor. The finding may provide potential drug targets for those who “just don’t get it.”
Scientists have debated for years whether humans are really unique among other animals in their ability to find things funny. One thing that most researchers do agree on, however, is that, though widespread, the ability is not shared by all people. “Just look at undertakers and politicians,” says Horace Epstein, a geneticist at the Lachen Institute in Trenton, New Jersey. Reasoning that these differences between people might be due to variations in the DNA sequence of a “funny gene,” Epstein looked for families with a strong humor history.
Epstein’s team found a large family in Gobblers Knob, Kentucky, that had demonstrated lightheartedness over several generations. “By comparing family members who loved Seinfeld with members who had a fondness for C-SPAN, we were able to narrow down the gene’s location to a large track of DNA sequence on the X chromosome,” says Epstein. After using computer databases to locate candidate genes, the researchers homed in on three stretches where the Seinfelders had a DNA sequence that differed from that of the C-SPANners.
The researchers then expressed the genes in mice. Two had no effect, but the third caused the mice to emit a high-pitched squeak when they were shown a picture of a cat being hit by an anvil. “I think we can safely assume the mice were laughing at the cat’s misfortune,” says Epstein, whose group will publish its work in an upcoming issue of Genes and Behavior.
Because the gene’s protein contains a large number of histidines and alanines, the researchers have settled on calling it HAHA-1. “I expect we’ll find that comedians like Robin Williams express high levels of the protein, while individuals such as Dick Cheney likely have HAHA-1 mutations,” says Epstein.
“It’s a remarkable discovery,” says Sarah Haugton, a molecular biologist at River Glen University in Burlington, Vermont. “There’s a funny bone, so why not a funny gene?” Robert Chadwick, a genome researcher at London’s Northhaven University believes the study could lead to potential gene therapy treatments for those without a sense a humor. “Think of all of those people who don’t get April Fools jokes,” he says. “Now they may finally be able to laugh.”
–DAVID GRIMM
Heh.
I thought you were gonna do a papal post…you notice that JP II is not doing dialysis, and is slipping quietly away without heroic measures, something the Schindlers would never have considered for their daughter. I guess you can say they’re more Catholic than the pope…
‘ “By comparing family members who loved Seinfeld with members who had a fondness for C-SPAN, we were able to narrow down the gene’s location to a large track of DNA sequence on the X chromosome,” says Epstein.’
Unnecessary slam of us C-span viewers. Maybe the researchers missed the humor of public hearings and sessions of Congress. Admittedly, it takes giving a bit a leeway to the truly bizarre.
Check the date on that post.
“Cat Fight” Now Playing
I recently sent a Press Release to Amy Alkon who writes a
syndicated column called “Advice Goddess” and got a
diatribe about our company on her website. The statements are false.
Here are some of her nasty comments. For complete text see
AdviceGoddess.com.
So I have published an amusing Blog about her at
http://www.sew-beautiful.us/concreep
Amy…The following statements you made about me and our
company, Sew Beautiful, http://www.sew-beautiful.us on
your Blog are libelous and they are false. You have no basis
for making these remarks. Here are Amy’s remarks…
“I especially love your argument that your customers like it.
I’m sure the guy who gets a stolen TV really cheaply from a
fence is thrilled as well.
“DOES Chanel really know what you’re doing? I doubt it.”
“I’m loath to believe anything you say”
“…there’s much you’re doing that’s illegal”
“Your rationalization of it is absolutely disgusting”
“Clearly, you are utterly unconcerned with much but
making a profit.”
“Your business practices make me retch, and your
disrespect for others’ creative work and intellectual property
is creepy.”
“Hey, there were lots of Nazis in WWII. Doesn’t make it right to murder Jews, homosexuals, and gypsies.
“Everybody’s doing it” doesn’t make it moral. What’s so
disturbing is the energy you put into defending your taking
the work of others and profiting from it. All of the above
knockoff artists sicken me. It’s wrong to profit from work
that is not yours — whether or not there’s some hole in the
fence of the law that permits you to sneak through and do it.”
Amy
I am sorry we have had such a negative
correspondence about my site. I am really a good person
who wanted to help people who had trouble taking their
medications. My sister-in-law has Parkinson’s. It all started
with our PILL PROOF (www.sew-beautiful.us/yournetstores) kit and just expanded from there. I was in a bad car accident and was unable to work for 10 years from a back injury. My doctor said I should start an internet business so I would be able to work around my injury. I never thought I would have so many businesses. I am truly blessed and mean no bad will towards you.
Jane Langdon
http://www.sew-beautiful.us/concreep
http://www.sew-beautiful.us/yournetstores
Complete Text
http://www.advicegoddess.com/goddessblog.html
http://www.advicegoddess.com/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=1376
http://www.sew-beautiful.us/concreep