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From: gunnell@FCRFV1.NCIFCRF.GOV ("Gunnell, Mark")
Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.bio-matrix
Subject: In defense of the Genome Boondoggle
Message-ID: <9102111942.AA08834@genbank.bio.net>
Date: 11 Feb 91 19:42:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@genbank.bio.net
Lines: 30

In article <9102111731.AA00773@genbank.bio.net>
Ellington@frodo.mgh.harvard.edu (Deaddog) writes:

> In article <9102111606.AA25622@genbank.bio.net> 
> gribskov@FCRFV1.NCIFCRF.GOV ("Gribskov, Michael") writes:
> > I suppose the that the cataloging of galaxies is a similar boondoggle,
> > in spite of the fact that this effort is currently leading to some of
> > the most important and interesting progress in astrophysics.  I guess
> > the real problem with these kinds of projects is that the day-to-day
> > work is tedious, and results only come in the long term.  Strange how
> > much of science falls in that category isn't it?
> 
> Ah, Michael, you really should ask for my opinion rather than just
> making one up for me.
> 
> Catalogue them galaxies!  Discover the secrets of cosmology; see how stars
> form; determine the mass of the Universe and how it is distributed; find
> amazing physical phenomena never before observed by human eyes.  Yes,
> all these and more can be yours if you just continue to fund astrophysics.
> A noble and worthy cause.
> 
> Make me a list of similar worth that has to do with the Genome Boondoggle.

Catalogue all human genes! Discover the functions of mapped genes; see how 
genes evolve; evaluate molecular evolution theories and how species originate;
find amazing biological phenomena never before observed by human eyes.  Yes,
all these and more can ...  etc.,etc. 8-)

Mark A. Gunnell
gunnell@ncifcrf.gov