“-ome” and “-omic” are overused, as Jonathan Eisen has been saying for years, and now the Wall Street Journal has taken notice. There are 404 “-omics” disciplines? It’s so silly that there is now a Badomics generator to invent new terms.
It’s still missing PZomics. I’m serious, it could be a real science, you know…I don’t know why researchers aren’t lining up to get cell samples from me. (There’s probably more money in Venteromics—I say “psshhht!” to their dedication to the principles of true knowledge over mere pecuniary gain.)
46 comments
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Brownian
14 August 2012 at 10:35 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Well, waiting around for it to happen won’t make it so.
Go on the offensive! Leave cell samples around! Drum up interest in the neighbourhood!
viggen111
14 August 2012 at 10:36 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Venter would certainly like to believe there is.
Sili
14 August 2012 at 10:38 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I thought the PZome was your underwater lair.
In dread R’lyeh did PZed M’rs a mighty cepha PZome decree.
Don’t tell me, you sent the wrong blueprints.
kurt1
14 August 2012 at 11:04 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
It´s an established field, his whole genome is known and there are several books about his ego. In fact his ego is so enormous there is enough for all of us!
Esteleth, Who Knows How to Use Google
14 August 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I wonder what Pharygulomics would be.
Louis
14 August 2012 at 11:19 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
{Snigger}
{Giggle}
Louis
ChasCPeterson
14 August 2012 at 11:20 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Yes.
The one I hate? ‘Rhizome’. Is it a root? is it a freakin stem? They won’t say! What are you hiding, botanists?
Oh, and also ‘prop-comic’.
kurt1
14 August 2012 at 11:22 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
pentatomid
14 August 2012 at 11:24 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
My badomics word is:
- – -
You know, the creationists have there own little ‘-ome’, the ‘Baranome’, defined by Dutch creationist and geneticist (yeah, I don’t get that either)Peter Borger as: ‘the undifferentiated, uncommitted, multipurpose genome of a created kind’.
Basically it’s a ridiculous attempt at translating YEC and ‘created kinds’ bullshit into the jargon of molecular genetics.
feralboy12
14 August 2012 at 11:47 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sounds like we have an Omicsgate on our hands.
hyperdeath
14 August 2012 at 11:51 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m not sure. Its principles would probably differ, however, from the fields of Mabusomics, Hoggleomics and Hovindomics.
tajparis
14 August 2012 at 12:17 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
New paper opportunity:
Omeomics: The increasing prevalence of omicomes and the rise of omeomicology.
Glen Davidson
14 August 2012 at 12:32 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
It’s a gnomic saying that one should be economic with the use of “-omic.” The matter isn’t comic.
Glen Davidson
Audley Z. Darkheart (liar and scoundrel)
14 August 2012 at 12:32 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Having spent my entire morning getting blood tests done, I’mma go out on a limb here and guess that you probably don’t actually want to be hounded for samples.
I mean, sure, at first it’s a simple cheek swab, but soon those devious scientists will be moving on to blood and various other, uh, ‘fluids’.
Rev. BigDumbChimp
14 August 2012 at 12:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
fucking Gnomes
Zeno
14 August 2012 at 12:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Would “NOMnomics” be the study of the heads-up-assedness of members of the National Organization for Marriage? Or perhaps the analysis of the cost of munching snack foods?
Brownian
14 August 2012 at 12:48 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I tracked down your PZome. Apparently, Pizza Hut sells them.
Audley Z. Darkheart (liar and scoundrel)
14 August 2012 at 12:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Brownian,
Isn’t that a P’zone? With an N? Like a calzone?
(Just call me Audley, the joke ruiner.)
Brownian
14 August 2012 at 1:08 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Yeah, that’s right. Nuracil pairs with calzosine, I think. So, what’s the problem, one base pair substitution? Is that such a big deal in the context of an entire genone, especially one covered with melted cheese and tasty toppings?
Anyway, don’t you have fluids to be tested?
franko
14 August 2012 at 1:12 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
One answer is to accept as valid “omics” only those disiplines with an interesting website ome page (groan!)
Audley Z. Darkheart, the joke killer
14 August 2012 at 1:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Brownian:
My fluids have all been tested, thankyouverymuch.
Moggie
14 August 2012 at 1:29 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Audley:
I hope they put them back afterwards?
I’m afraid I read “PZome” as “PZDome”. You know: two zebrafish enter, one zebrafish leaves.
Brownian
14 August 2012 at 1:47 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Yeah, especially the humours.
Audley Z. Darkheart, the joke killer
14 August 2012 at 2:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Wouldn’t want to go all hysterical now, would we?
spamamander, more skeptical-er and rational-er than you
14 August 2012 at 2:55 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m going to quietly pout in the corner as Audley beat me to the P’Zone joke. And now I am seriously jonesing for some Pizza Hut.
Brownian
14 August 2012 at 3:12 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
[exfuckingplodes]
Moggie
14 August 2012 at 3:18 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh come on, “Brownian”, we all know you’re Audley’s sock puppet.
Brownian
14 August 2012 at 3:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
We’ve been found out! C’mon Audley, let’s cheese it!
So long, suckers!
[Hops on the back of Audley's motorcycle, rides to freedom]
Andy Long
14 August 2012 at 3:49 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’ve heard of a PZ-otomy, but that’s something entirely different.
(e)m
14 August 2012 at 3:56 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
@16 Zeno
NOMnomics:
1. The study of the incedental costs of smoking marijuana.
2. The study of the incedental costs of dorm life.
3. The study of how much damage is done by the National Organization (against)Marriage.
grumpypathdoc
14 August 2012 at 4:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Audley Z. Darkheart@ 24
Having had all my bodily fluids tested and preparing for an abdominal CT (drinking the apple smoothie barium mixture) and awaiting the injection of the radiopaque dye, I can commiserate. Next week a HIDA scan and EGD. That’s what you get when you complain about gastritis and nausea.
BrianX
14 August 2012 at 4:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m going to start a new discipline analyzing Dharmic meditation. I’ll call it om-omics.
Audley Z. Darkheart, the joke killer
14 August 2012 at 4:16 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
grumpypathdoc:
Oh, lucky! When I had a CT scan, the barium solution was butterscotch. Warm butterscotch. I don’t like butterscotch in the first place. :(
Brownian:
Vroom vroom!
ivarhusa
14 August 2012 at 5:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
#29 Oh, no. That’s a groaner. Better than P’zone (which I came up with, too).
phoenicianromans
14 August 2012 at 6:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m thinking of coining a term for the study of general purpose procedural programming languages. I can call it C-omics…
Stevarious
14 August 2012 at 7:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Is it too late to call for someone to begin a study in Omic-nomics? Who is going to catalog the Omicome?
skeptifem
14 August 2012 at 7:47 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
You already have the PZone. Don’t be greedy.
elliebanwell
14 August 2012 at 8:14 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Actually, I disagree… heh.
“…omics’ denotes a field of study exploring and understanding everything within a finite category (the “…ome”). It’s exploded in use because it fills a useful linguistic niche. You might as well say that “..ology” is over used.
ChasCPeterson
14 August 2012 at 8:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
What? No no. Humoural imbalances can make you melancholy, sanguine, phlegmatic, or uh (what’s the other one? choleric? I think so but G**GLE IS DOWN!!!!)
sachatur
14 August 2012 at 8:34 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
it must be PZ’s post from earlier that’s got me thinking “What’s wrong with Come and Comic?”
maxdevlin
14 August 2012 at 9:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I thought for sure I wouldn’t be the first to point out it is “pzology”, not “pzomics”. Pharyngulomics seems appropriate.
Just so we’re clear, “-ology” = study of, “nomics/omics” = study of the measurement of.
a3kr0n
14 August 2012 at 9:30 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’d call it PZebramics myself. I just saw something about those little fish too. Super uber computerized magnification, or something.
Would it be possible for you to blog sometime about the different genetics between the top of a tree, the bottom, and it’s roots? Would seeds from the tops be different than from the bottoms? This is neat stuff!
spamamander, more skeptical-er and rational-er than you
15 August 2012 at 12:53 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Wait, Brownian and Audrey aren’t the same?? I have to be in two different lines for the sex?
Damnit.
spamamander, more skeptical-er and rational-er than you
15 August 2012 at 12:54 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
And that would be Audley. Don’t drink and post, folks.
Audley Z. Darkheart, the joke killer
15 August 2012 at 7:08 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’ve got people queuing up for sex??
*faints!*
smutclyde
15 September 2012 at 10:24 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sounds like we have an Omicsgate on our hands.
This will all end in Omicgeddon.