![]() ![]() What, a pretty name? No! In geek speak, ELISA stands for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ![]() Say aloud “Bam!,” “Pst!,” “Hae!” and “Alu?” the next time you’re carrying out a restriction digest. The acronyms and abbreviations of the restriction enzymes are especially amusing when (in)appropriately punctuated or emphasized. Most commonly, DNA sequences are digested by restriction enzymes, like ribbons cut by scissors wielded by an obsessively precise seamstress. In the lab, digestion of a different sort takes place. The only digestion most people have done in their lives is of the food they’ve eaten. Fancy chipping away at a scientific problem? Your potato chip probably won’t help. In the lab, however, chips are devices that have a multitude of research applications.ĬhIP is also an acronym for chromatin immuno-precipitation, a method for studying gene regulation. Pining for a late night snack? Potato chips might come to mind. More exotically, FISH is an acronym for fluorescence in situ hybridization, a tool biologists use to investigate RNA. Non-scientists know this either as an organism they might have for dinner, or an activity they might engage in to catch that organism for said dinner.įor us scientists, the word ‘fish’ could refer to the zebrafish which we use as animal models in our experiments. It’s more electrifying than your average toast, don’t you think? The concept remains the same, but instead of packing ham, tomato slices and lettuce between pieces of bread, scientists sandwich gels between membranes and filter paper and then apply an electric current, so that biological molecules move between the layers. You might have this for lunch, but in the lab, a sandwich is hardly edible. ![]() In the lab, however, medium refers to the nutrient-rich liquid in which we culture cells. This could be the size of your pants or it could refer to someone who communicates with spiritual beings. Offend a scientist and you might earn a remark that the only culture you have is your microbiome, the community of microorganisms that live in and on you. The verb form of ‘culture’ is applied here, meaning ‘to cultivate’ or ‘to grow.’ Yet, ‘bacteria culture’ and ‘cell culture’ are phrases that scientists frequently use. Imagine a liver cell sipping on a glass of red wine and exclaiming “C’est la vie!” Ridiculous! Neither do they think of a single cell, the basic unit of all living organisms, as having culture. When non-scientists speak of Asia as a region of diverse cultures, they probably aren’t implying that she has a rich microbial diversity, though they might be surprised at how scientifically accurate that statement really is. Here’s a list of eight everyday words that take on a different meaning to scientists: You speak geek and you should be proud of it. Some might say that inventing terminology is the defining trait of our profession.Īnyway, the next time you find yourself drawing a strange stare when you utter sentences like “I threw away my culture as it was contaminated,” wither not under that judgmental gaze. So, it comes as no surprise that the vocabulary of a scientist is stranger than that of the average person. Simple words used in everyday conversation begin to take on a dual nature, just like Jekyll and Hyde if they were made from letters of the English alphabet. You also start to read, say and hear things differently. Compared to the day you first embarked on your PhD, you need less sleep you have a warped sense of humor you aren’t squeamish around rodents and you can rattle off multi-syllabic words without batting an eyelid (think Sheldon Cooper of The Big Bang Theory). 15, 2016) – Being a scientist changes you.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |