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Dead People Scientists Won't Let Rest

Posted by samzenpus on from the test-and-re-test dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Some historical figures are just too interesting to leave alone, even when they're supposed to be moldering in the grave. That's why medical researchers dug up Tycho Brahe, bombarded Napoleon's hair with neutrons in a nuclear reactor, and did everything they could think of to King Tut. Discover Magazine has 8 stories of delayed diagnoses and extreme postmortems."

42 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by davidwr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anyone else get dyslexia over this one? What I thought I saw before doing a double-take:

    Zombies invade university laboratories, scientists assaulted

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
    1. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by mlts · · Score: 1

      I misread the article as "Scientists Love a Cold One".

    2. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by KDEnut · · Score: 2

      I read it as:

      Scientists (that) Dead People Won't Let Rest.

    3. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by URADingus2 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I saw "Dead people won't let scientists rest." Took 3 readings to get it.

    4. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by briansct · · Score: 1

      Anyone else get dyslexia over this one? What I thought I saw before doing a double-take:

      Zombies invade university laboratories, scientists assaulted

      Hmmmmm....... So are the Scientists dead? I think I need to let rest me. Myself. No, let. Help!

      --
      What's the point of Mod points over a long weekend?
    5. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by Schemat1c · · Score: 2

      Anyone else get dyslexia over this one? What I thought I saw before doing a double-take:

      Zombies invade university laboratories, scientists assaulted

      No. Only minds that have been infested with the vapid zombie meme see zombie' when 'dead people' is written.
      Sorry, the only cure is a shotgun blast to the head.

      --

      "Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better." - Unknown
    6. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by toadlife · · Score: 1

      Just imagine Yoda saying it and it will make perfect sense the first time.

      --
      I don't always use unix-like operating systems; but when I do, I prefer FreeBSD.
    7. Re:Scientists Dead People Won't Let Rest by damnfuct · · Score: 1

      Once you have had scientist brain, you can't go back!

  2. Well, by optymizer · · Score: 1

    Some people have too much time on their hands.

    1. Re:Well, by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Some people have too much time on their hands.

      Perhaps, but stories like these make me fantasize about getting a government grant to explore my theory that Starfleet could totally wipe out the Empire.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    2. Re:Well, by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      A definition of /.

    3. Re:Well, by RazzleFrog · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sometimes research is just done for the sake of research. It doesn't always have to have a productive result.

    4. Re:Well, by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1

      It couldn't, though. The United Federation of Planets has only a few hundred member worlds; the only available figures for the Empire suggest it's at least in the "millions" category. The Empire inevitably must require a vast fleet to keep said vast territory within its grasp, internally; by contrast, Starfleet only needs to do border patrol on... not even all of its borders.

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
    5. Re:Well, by Chr0me · · Score: 1

      If Ewoks could be an effective part of taking down the shield generators on the forest moon of Endor, imagine what Tribbles would have done.

      As much as it pains me to say it, in a battle between two old guys in easy chairs on the command decks of their respective flagships, the UFP wins.

    6. Re:Well, by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Starfleet shields are impervious to laser fire. But.... that's besides the point.

      In the Star Wars universe you can drive from planet to planet without even needing a hyperdrive. Their idea of 'fast' is 1.5x the speed of light. Therefore they are likely inside of a miniaturized galaxy not unlike the one referred to in Hitchhiker's Guide where an entire battle fleet was swallowed by a dog. The entire resources of the Empire would be defeated by a small hand-phaser.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    7. Re:Well, by optymizer · · Score: 1

      You guys have too much time on your hands.

    8. Re:Well, by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Well, derr, that's a common trait of Slashdotters.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  3. Quick question by ddd0004 · · Score: 3, Funny

    In the picture, did that one guy wear a sweater that his mom made him?

    1. Re:Quick question by atrain728 · · Score: 1

      That guy looks as if he was born to wear his mom's sweaters. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. Clearly, the beard was grown to complete the look.

    2. Re:Quick question by Misanthrope · · Score: 4, Funny

      Dude, that's the benefit of being a scientist. You get to wear Cosby sweaters or Hawaiian shirts and it's not only socially acceptable it's almost required.

    3. Re:Quick question by slackbheep · · Score: 1

      And suspenders!

  4. Who else thought of Penny Arcade? by Pawnn · · Score: 2

    I didn't know "Tycho Brahe" was a real person who is not Jerry Holkins.

    1. Re:Who else thought of Penny Arcade? by MonsterTrimble · · Score: 2

      I knew Tycho Brahe was a real person, but Penny Arcade still jumped to the fore. I was thinking "Tycho is Dead? SHIT!" before I clued in.

      --
      I call it 'The Aristocrats'
    2. Re:Who else thought of Penny Arcade? by kalirion · · Score: 1

      I thought Tycho Brahe in penny-arcade was a real person.

  5. So what? by SnarfQuest · · Score: 2

    What good is there in spending millions of dollars to find out that Professor Plum killed King Tut in the library with the candlestick? What are you going to do about it? Arrest someone who dies thousands of years ago? Have the current Pharoh make a law banning candlesticks? The information might be somewhat interesting, but how much should we spend to find out? The library, the candlestick, Professor Plum (and his descendents) are probably all just dust in the wind by now.

    --
    Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
    1. Re:So what? by hawkfish · · Score: 1

      Mozart though was know to have been old and ill.

      Ill, yes, but old? He was 35 when he died. Which led Tom Leherer to quip

      It is a sobering thought, for example, that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.

      --
      You will not drink with us, but you would taste our steel? - Walter Matthau, The Pirates
    2. Re:So what? by shawb · · Score: 1

      Exactly. I think ="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks">Henrietta Lacks is a better example. Basically, she had a tissue sample taken from a uterine tumor without her knowledge in 1951. The sample thrives in vitro, and has been used in many studies that pushed the envelope of science, from the testing of the Salk Vaccine to Aids research to, of course, cancer research as originally intended. In fact, the sample survives so well in vitro that it has contaminated many cell lines used in research. Her cell line is even used in college level intro biology classes for experiments/demonstrations in chromosome staining and other techniques simply because the cells divides so rapidly and it is so hard to accidentally kill the sample.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
    3. Re:So what? by shawb · · Score: 1

      Oops, biffed link. Should point Here

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  6. And don't forget Enstein's Brain.... by scharkalvin · · Score: 1

    which was found in a shoebox in someone's closet.

  7. Note to self... by osu-neko · · Score: 1

    If you don't want people messing with your corpse for centuries to come, get cremated.

    --
    "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
  8. What do you want on your tombstone? by osu-neko · · Score: 1

    I have to say, when they identified and reburied Copernicus, they gave him the coolest tombstone I've ever seen. Very nice...

    --
    "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
  9. Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by allwheat · · Score: 5, Informative

    The first immortal cell line ever grown was that of Henrietta Lacks in 1951, who had cancer, and her cells are still living in many labs throughout the world--about 20 tons worth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks)! Scientists, literally, won't let her die.

    1. Re:Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by geekoid · · Score: 1

      No, she is dead.
      If I took a strand of your hairs and managed to keep it alive, and the blew your brains out, you would be dead.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by jbeaupre · · Score: 1

      As dead as your sense of humor.

      --
      The world is made by those who show up for the job.
    3. Re:Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by shawb · · Score: 1

      Ahh. You beat me to it. I thought I had scrolled down far enough. It's so annoying that the first few pages of topics not directly tech related are always "I misread that as..." Prevents real discussion.

      --
      I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
    4. Re:Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by BetterThanCaesar · · Score: 1

      No, she's resting.

      --
      "Stop failing the Turing test!" -- Dilbert
    5. Re:Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      I've seen car wax products that claim to nourish the paint :-(

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    6. Re:Henrietta Lacks cell line lives, since 1950's by Drakkenmensch · · Score: 1

      The first immortal cell line ever grown was that of Henrietta Lacks in 1951, who had cancer, and her cells are still living in many labs throughout the world--about 20 tons worth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks)! Scientists, literally, won't let her die.

      They couldn't let her if they wanted. Her cell line has a strange mutation that completely bypasses cellular apoptosis. In simple terms, her cells are incapable of reaching a natural pre-programmed replication limit and die of old age!

  10. Re:picture? by Eudeyrn · · Score: 1

    Good point.

    Via http://humaniora.au.dk/en/events/tychobrahetomb/photosfromtheopeningofthetomb/

    "These photos may be used by the press when credited. Photographer is Jacob C. Ravn, Aarhus University unless otherwise stated."

  11. Pervasiveness of Tests by k6mfw · · Score: 1

    There is this book called Testing Testing or something like that (in 1990s I heard of the book from someone who trains others to administer professional engineering license tests), it is not about taking tests but about society's pervasiveness of tests. There are tests for people before they are born, many tests in school years, driver's licenses, job related tests, and tests after people die.

    An elementary school teacher calls "timed tests" (i.e. 10 minutes for students to complete a arithmetic exam) "drill and kill" tests.

    --
    mfwright@batnet.com
  12. creepiest dead person... by Anne+Honime · · Score: 1

    ... is definitely Jeremy Bentham, in my book (if you're not in the know, go straight to the "auto-icon" section of the article).

  13. Wow by Cant+use+a+slash+wtf · · Score: 1

    That scared me. I thought it was said "Dead people scientists". That turned out to be thankfully less eventful than I expected.