Kryptonite weakens? Try Cummingtonite!

December 16, 2006 3:00 PM

Amusing and silly actual names for molecules- Cummingtonite anyone? Via the ever readable blog of columnist Ben Goldacre at Bad Science, always worth a browse for a scientific take on unscrupulous advertisers and hysterical media.
posted by Gratishades (3 comments total)

Not too off topic I hope - there are a lot of great gene names, especially in Drosophila (fruit fly). For interesting culture/history of science reasons, it's generally gotten much cuter names than humans.

They're often named for conditions they or their mutation/absence cause. There's a great list here: two of my favorites are "cheap date" (alchohol sensitive) and "ken and barbie" (no external genetalia).
posted by freebird at 3:31 PM on December 16, 2006

That is awesome! I love the detail he goes into in describing the story behind each molecule.

If I ever have need of a sockpuppet account, I'm calling it Traumatic Acid.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:29 PM on December 16, 2006

Alas, double.
posted by mendel at 4:48 PM on December 16, 2006