Vitaly's latest

[Animesh Ray]

I am sorry... I just couldn't help responding to a comment of Vitaly in this 
thread of discussions that are pouring in like torrents of spring through my 
computer while I am trying to beat the deadlines of two grant applications and 
my kids roam in vacant lots on a Memorial day weekend...

<<"Another factor is that as science advances, the experiments become more 
sophisticated both technically and conceptually.">>

Perhaps technically, yes, but conceptually? I teach a graduate course on 
homologous recombination in Fall. Last year I started with a paper from the 
1950's and followed through to 1994, covering on average 1 paper a decade until 
~1987, and then ~20 papers up to 1994.

 Vitaly, you should read some papers of those by-gone era ... perhaps the one we 
read last Fall...one by Cy Levinthal written right after Watson-Crick's paper in 
1953/4. You will be blown out of your feet by the sophistication...No, we don't 
conceptualize in any more sophisticated way than our grandparents used to...To 
quote our Dear Old Watson "...contrary to popular belief held by most people and 
mothers of scientists, most scientists are not only unimaginative but down right 
stupid.." or goes something-like-that (I haven't read that book in more than 15 
years, so I cannot be relied upon quoting vertim). Well, I didn't say it, Honest 
Jim did!!      

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Animesh Ray
Dept of Biology
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
ray at ar.biology.rochester.edu

Phone:(716)275-8986
FAX:(716)275-2070