Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
1–10 of 35 posts
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#2Hmm this makes me feel uneasy - why did they do it? Apart from the "hey cool! We sequenced Mendel's DNA!" what was the actual point? Sure now you know his genetics predisposed him to diabetes... Was that worth exhuming his body for?
What will they do at 250 years? Dig him up again for selfies?
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#3Hmm this makes me feel uneasy - why did they do it? Apart from the "hey cool! We sequenced Mendel's DNA!" what was the actual point? Sure now you know his genetics predisposed him to diabetes... Was that worth exhuming his body for? What will they do at 250 years? Dig him up again for selfies?
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Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#4This was actually pretty amazing, as is the quote from the scientist at the university in Brno:
"We believe that he would be happy. We know he was very enthusiastic for all kinds of research," she says – noting that just before he died, Mendel requested that an extensive autopsy be done.
"He wasn't against research on his own body," she says.
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#5Hmm this makes me feel uneasy - why did they do it? Apart from the "hey cool! We sequenced Mendel's DNA!" what was the actual point? Sure now you know his genetics predisposed him to diabetes... Was that worth exhuming his body for? What will they do at 250 years? Dig him up again for selfies?
Indeed. They justify themselves like this:
> "He wasn't against research on his own body," she says.
This isn't (that kind of) research, though. It's just morbid curiosity.
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#6Hmm this makes me feel uneasy - why did they do it? Apart from the "hey cool! We sequenced Mendel's DNA!" what was the actual point? Sure now you know his genetics predisposed him to diabetes... Was that worth exhuming his body for? What will they do at 250 years? Dig him up again for selfies?
> We sequenced Mendel's DNA!" what was the actual point?
The article addresses that. Indeed, before I read the article, I too was tempted to write an angry dismissal. However, their approach and reasoning were very respectful. It was less about curiosity than honoring the fellow for his contribution to human knowledge. If they managed to enlist the support of the Augustinians themselves, I'm certain that we can entirely relax.
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#7Hmm this makes me feel uneasy - why did they do it? Apart from the "hey cool! We sequenced Mendel's DNA!" what was the actual point? Sure now you know his genetics predisposed him to diabetes... Was that worth exhuming his body for? What will they do at 250 years? Dig him up again for selfies?
Why not?
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#8Just FYI to potential future researches: if you go through my stuff and dig up my corpse it better not be because "we thought it'd be cool".
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#9Just FYI to potential future researches: if you go through my stuff and dig up my corpse it better not be because "we thought it'd be cool".
I don’t see the big deal, when you’re dead you’re dead. Being in a coffin must be so boring I could imagine some dead people would love visitors every now and then. Perhaps it’s comforting knowing you will still interact with people 200 years from now.
Re: Scientists dug up Gregor Mendel and analyzed his DNA
#10Just FYI to potential future researches: if you go through my stuff and dig up my corpse it better not be because "we thought it'd be cool".
It's not your corpse. It's a corpse, you've left it.