happy new year to everyone who spends their life trying to somehow make the world a better place, including those engaged in the mysterious and exciting world of genetics.

one may assume that these bright souls are born with the gift of extraordinary brilliance and purpose, all at the expense of some other area of their humanity, such as a sense of humor. in reality, this could not be further from the truth. while their comedic approach to life may not be easily apparent, all it takes is a glance at the mark they leave on their work to see their strong sense of whimsy.

after listening to a recent npr interview with one such geneticist/scientist/self-proclaimed ‘nerd’ and hearing him discuss names assigned to individual genes and their mutations, it’s clear this group has found a way to do their research, stretch their intelligent ironic imaginations, and leave their legacies – all while embracing a sense of play in its truest form.

A RANDOM SAMPLING OF SOME OF MY FAVORITES:

radical fringe

lunatic

cheap date

maniac

one-eyed pinhead

INDY – I’m Not Dead Yet (makes mutant flies live twice as long – inspired by Monty Python’s ‘Holy Grail’  

i thank you for this on so many levels.